Bible Study Verse
John 11:32-36
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid Him?" He asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied.
Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!" (NIV)
Thoughts
These are headlines we in Arizona read in a span of two weeks:
- May 6, 2013, Arizona Highway Patrolman Tim Huffman killed in the line of duty.
- May 19, 2013, Phoenix Firefighter Brad Harper killed in the line of duty.
- May 19, 2013, Phoenix Police Officer Daryl Raetz killed in the line of duty.
Any time a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder dies in the line of duty it is a tragedy. What was especially troubling about these three fatalities was that they were all the result of tragic accidents. Were the accidents preventable? We don't have the answer to that.
What we do know is that these accidents resulted in the death of three men and that these men gave their lives protecting the public, protecting me. And what I know is that, as I write this, I weep for these men and their families and for all of the "family" of officers and firefighters that lost brothers on those tragic days. And, yes, I am troubled that the three died in what might have been preventable circumstances. I'm troubled because there are always ways in which an accident could have been avoided.
(Cliff S)
Action Point
Jesus wept for his friend, Lazarus whom He loved. But let's dig a little deeper here. The passage says that Jesus was "deeply moved in spirit and troubled" when He saw the people mourning the loss of their friend. One of my Bible translations has a footnote that says that Jesus was deeply moved "because of the sorrow that sickness and death brought."
But, how did sickness and death enter into the world? Through one man's sin. And, what about the word "troubled?" I recently heard a commentator explain that this word actually has a connotation of anger to it.
- Could it be that Jesus was troubled, or angry, because He was aware of the consequences of one decision that had been made in the Garden of Eden that lead to the sickness and physical and spiritual death of all mankind?
- Could it be that Jesus was angry that Satan has been misleading mankind from the time of that first sin in the Garden until now into believing that they don't need God's forgiveness for their sin?
- Could it be that Jesus was troubled that so many will die in their sin and suffer eternal separation from God because of what one man did?
I know I'm delving into the realm of speculation here, but I have to consider what caused Jesus to be troubled. It may have been far more than the death of His friend. It could have been because He knows that so many will not accept Him as their Savior and will needlessly suffer the consequences of their sin and that He knew that this suffering could be avoided.
So, I have a question for you. Have you accepted Jesus into your life? Are you causing Jesus to be troubled or is He and the angels rejoicing in your decision to accept Him into your life? It's your choice.
(Cliff S)
Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
When using firearms always practice four simple rules:
- Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
- Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
- Be sure of your target and beyond.
- +1 Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
By following these four rules, TAB +1, you will prevent most firearm accidents.
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