Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)
I’ve always loved this verse. First, it’s pithy. It’s a sermon waiting to be preached, given a working understanding of the words, “believe” (to become a reality), “glory” (splendor, honor), and “see” (experience). It’s also a bit of a reprimand to all of us who are weak in our faith. We all are Marthas to some degree when it comes to impossible things. Martha was wise in the sense of knowing for sure that Lazarus would stink, but clearly she wasn’t expecting what was possible “with God.”
You see, our salvation is impossible without the power of the cross to start with, which was a horrible prospect. Jesus wanted his disciples and friends to get accustomed to seeing what was obvious only to those who possess faith, to see through the rugged cross to his glorious risen body. They’d need this foresight in the days ahead. And by the way, apparently Lazarus’ body didn’t stink!
Everyday, every hour we must preach to ourself, “if I believe I will see the glory of God.”
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