September 13

The Sister’s Message

So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one You love is sick.” — John 11:3 BSB

In their trouble, the first thought of the sisters was of Jesus, and they immediately sent for Him. This is a lesson we should not overlook. No doubt they called for a physician, but they also sent word to Christ. We should never fail to call upon Jesus when anything goes wrong in our homes. We should desire His presence in our sickrooms when our loved ones are suffering. Notice the message the sisters sent to Christ—it was short and simple. They didn’t beg or plead with Him to come; in fact, they didn’t even make a direct request. They simply told Him that His friend was sick and left the decision to Him, trusting that He would do what was best from the prompting of His own heart.

Also, notice their plea: they didn’t say, “He who loves You is sick,” but “He whom You love is sick.” They appealed to Christ’s love for Lazarus, rather than any personal claim. This is always the best way to approach Christ—by trusting in His love for us, not in our love for Him.

There’s also a sense of peace in this message, even in the midst of their distress. Many people lose their courage and faith in such moments, but these sisters remained composed. They had learned the lesson of peace from Christ in the bright days, so they were ready for the dark times. If we want Christ’s comfort when sorrow comes, we must welcome Him during the joyful days. If this family in Bethany had shut Christ out when they were happy and healthy, they wouldn’t have experienced His comfort in their sorrow. We must invite Christ into our hearts in times of light if we hope to have Him with us when darkness falls.