What tomb encases you?

John 11: 38-44

[38]Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. [39]Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days." [40]Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" [41]So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. [42]I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." [43]When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" [44]The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

We experience death in so many ways.  Today is my birthday.  I am ....over 40.  Let's just stop there.  I am so much more aware of my limitations today than I was just 3 or 4 years ago.  I have grief about that.  My tomb today is my body.  I feel a bit trapped sometimes when I can't do all I want to do.  For example, several friends are training for a marathon.  I have autoimmune arthritis.  Doc says, "No way!"  So I accept my limitations...some days more gracefully than others. 

My best friend is quick to point out how active I am on the tennis court and in so many other ways.  "Think of how much time it would take for you to train for a marathon.  You would have to give up something else."  WOW!  She just unbound me, helping me get out of my body, my "tomb", showing me the light in the situation.  This is great news!

So, what is your tomb?

How can you see the light beyond?

Are you letting others unbind you?

You can't do it by yourself.  This is the message from Jesus.

Others need to unbind you.

Jesus will heal you.  Others will unbind you.

Thanks be to God for others who are there to unbind us!!