Run, Courtney, Run!

Note: This is probably the most heartfelt, personal, and emotionally charged piece of writing I have placed here to date. If this presents a problem for you, please stop reading now.

Today has been unconventional to say the least, but I don't regret the decision I made.
Athena and I did breakfast and Bible at home today in our cozy clothes, and for the first time in awhile, I didn't go to church.
Athena came from her apartment and we had pancakes and juice, and then we sat together on the couch as I lifted my old grape juice covered Bible to read.
First, I went to Psalm 145, talking about how God's love and His splendor are commended to all generations. Then, we read from Habakkuk about writing the vision, and rejoiced at the beautiful imagery the prophet presented to us.
Then, we went to John 10, we read about abundant life, and finally, continued in John 11, the death and resurrection of Lazarus.

The story of Lazarus is filled with cultural puzzle pieces that make more sense when you have a bit of background, so...
You probably know about Lazarus, and his sisters, but you may or may not know a couple of very important things that make the story so much more meaningful.
First, the Bible very clearly says in John 11:5-6 that He loved all of them, SO THAT when He heard that Lazarus was ill, He stayed an extra two days where He was.
Wait? What? He loved them so He DID NOT MOVE? Nice.

Second, in the time of Jesus, the belief was that the body and soul were separated after 3 days, which is probably why God chose to raise His son in 3. The fourth day I guess being considered the "point of no return" per se, and like movie "The Princess Bride" if you were "Mostly Dead" on day three, you were completely dead, really dead, on day four.

So, when we meet up with Jesus in Bethany, we find Him on day four.
Both of Lazarus' sisters are heartbroken. Martha engages in an intellectual dialogue, and Mary just says "If you had been here it would have been enough" and then she weeps. The Bible says that Jesus was moved with compassion and asked simply "Where have you laid him?"
So off they go, to this tomb where a stone has been placed before the door, and Martha starts throwing a fit about how it's going to stink and Jesus says "Take away the stone."
So here is Jesus, and I'm assuming, a crowd, and the Word says that He called out in a loud voice, LAZARUS! COME FORTH! And...out he came... still bound in the linens of burial.
Then, as the poor guy came waddling out all mummified, Jesus made one final command.
Speaking to the linens He said "UNBIND HIM and LET HIM GO!"
I stopped here and asked Athena a very intentional question.

"Why do you think He didn't just go in, sit down, put His hand on Lazarus and whisper "hey, buddy! Wake up! Jesus could command death to cease with a whisper, too, right? So why not? She thought and then honestly answered that she did not know.
I put on my law student hat and spoke in hypotheticals.
"Imagine if I stood at the door and loudly called your name from across a parking lot, versus if I whispered something softly in your ear." For you, it wouldn't really matter, it would accomplish the same purpose, you would respond to my voice, and my request, with the same result: you'd come. However, if I wanted someone else to understand something by the way I called your name, or the way I asked you to come, then I would call to you accordingly. If Jesus had wanted intimacy to be His priority in healing Lazarus, He might have done it in private, like me whispering to you. However, Jesus' intent was to show that 1) He had authority to call a man out from death 2) His authority was obeyed, and perhaps most important 3) His voice was STILL enough, even on the fourth day."

I told her that He didn't just bring Lazarus back to life and expect the people around Him to unwrap the linens either, no, He issued one last command... LET HIM GO!
I told her that it continually stuck out to me that the Bible says He loved them, so He stayed an extra two days where He was. He loved them, so for a time, for a brief, brief, time, they didn't understand something. He loved them, so He did it His way. He loved them so.
He loved them, so He showed it.
Instead of going and healing a live man, Jesus waited until Lazarus was ALL DEAD...four days dead. He wanted them to know...my voice is still enough.

This is my life. 25 years of knowing His voice is more than enough, and yet, so far, no cartwheels or marathons for me...so far.
It's much like Lazarus' crew. Every day that passes, every "day four" someone else sees the struggle, and every set of eyes that sees these struggles, is also one more set of eyes that will praise when those words resonate and shatter the sky: "UNBIND HER, and LET HER GO! "
When the heavens dance and darkness trembles and quakes as the onlookers weep and bow their knees, as the Savior, and the sisters, and the friends, and the foes, sound a chorus unmatched. "RUN, Courtney, RUN!"

His voice is still enough,
Running Hard,
Courtney