If you had been here...........

"If you had been here my brother would not have died."
Both Mary and Martha say these exact words to their close friend, their brother Lazarus' close friend, Jesus.

You've heard them said in similar ways by friends and relatives:
If only........we had gone to the doctor's office earlier
If only........he had watched his sugar
If only........the ambulance had come sooner
If only........I had called that morning to check on her
If only.......we had the right doctor

The foundation for these words is a deep grief and the stark reality of someone's death.  Winding through these words is the sense of being abandoned, lost, alone.  We all hear the overtone of blame and guilt.

Releasing a loved one into the hands of a merciful God is difficult beyond measure.  Jesus waited four days before showing up at Lazarus' door.  Jesus wanted to be sure Lazarus was truly dead before he came.  It not only looks intentional, it was intentional.  Lazarus had to be really and truly dead for Jesus to do what needed to be done; to bring him back across that threshold of the tomb to resume his life.  It was not easy for Mary or Martha or Jesus for that matter.

But it really wasn't easy for Lazarus.  He would have to enter the place of death again.  He would have to really and truly die once more.  For those following Jesus, Lazarus was the final example of the power of God present in Jesus.  The power to bring back into life that which is dead.

God doesn't stop there.  Easter morning God will show us that returning to this life is but a reprise of this created life while resurrection is a gift of life beyond the power of death.  Jesus rose to die no more.

That's the promise he makes to us as well.  "Follow me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places so where I am you can be also."  It is time once again for us to do our best to grasp the undiluted power of that message and that gift.