“Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.” (John 11:43-44,NKJV)
Two weeks ago, I was reading a devotional on the death and resurrection of Lazarus, found in John 11:1-46. If you have spent much time in church, or even if not, you may have heard about Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha. This is also where Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and life.” It’s a pretty popular section of scripture. Over the years, I’ve heard different takeaways, like… if Jesus had just said “Come forth,” without specifically calling Lazarus, all the dead would have risen. Or people trying to show us what we can learn from the faith (or lack thereof) of Mary and Martha. Or why it took Jesus so long to get to Lazarus. This devotional, however, was focusing on Jesus praying aloud to the Father before calling Lazarus out of the tomb. It was showing how others see the glory of God when He responds to our public prayers.
As I was reading John’s account, I got to Jesus’ prayer, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” Ok, got it! Next verse, Jesus speaks again and says the famous, “Lazarus, come forth!” Alright, got that too! John then writes that Lazarus, “who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth.” Then, at the end of that verse, Jesus says, “Loose him, and let him go.”
LOOSE HIM AND LET HIM GO!
Do you ever read a verse or passage in the Bible that you have read many times, and in that moment, it hits you differently than it ever has before? I just love that about God’s Word. I try to stop right there and take it in. It gets me excited. And a little nervous too. I never know what He may be trying to teach me or ask me to do.
Anyway. Back to Lazarus walking out of the grave with those stinky linen cloths wrapped all over him. It got me thinking … what kind of graveclothes do we, those who have new life in Jesus, walk around with?
Are you harboring anger or frustration? Is shame keeping you from living in freedom? Do you struggle with pride or lust? Are you living your life to please those around you? Do you find yourself in the middle of gossip even when you try not to?
Are you caught up in an addiction you cannot seem to break free of? Does fear take you down before your day even gets started? Is comfort holding you back from something greater?
Maybe your graveclothes are still wrapped tightly, binding your hands. Maybe you’re working to loosen them and gradually leaving them behind. Or maybe you’ve been working on it for a while, and that gravecloth is hanging on like a pesky piece of toilet paper stuck to the bottom of your shoe. Or even worse, hanging from under your skirt. You thought it was gone, but nope, it’s still there!
If you have been saved by Jesus, then just like Lazarus, He has called you by name. You have been raised from death to life. Jesus performed the miracle that only He can do! But you know what He didn’t do for Lazarus? Remove the graveclothes. He says to the people that are closest to Lazarus, “Loose him, and let him go”.
Do you have a group of friends who know when you need help loosening up what is binding you up? Or a friend who will remove the little piece of gravecloth that you’re still dragging around? We all need help and accountability. You may need to take the first step, whether it’s asking for help or encouraging someone you know is struggling.
Jesus called you to come forth.
He calls others to help let you go.
-Aimey McClanahan
Let’s Talk About It:
Take some time to read John 11:1-44. Maybe even read a few different versions, see if anything new stands out to you. If so, let us know in the comments below.
While leading up to writing this, I heard three songs that I can’t help but share. They remind me of God’s mercy and grace:
“Glorious Day” Passion
“Made For More” Josh Baldwin
“Sure Been Good” Elevation Worship
About Aimey:
Aimey is a devoted wife to Phillip and a loving mom to Emma and Austin. She and her husband attend Southside Baptist in Warner Robins, GA, where they proudly lead a small group in their home. She finds her passion loving on those that are underserved. She is an advocate for The Forgotten Initiative and works in a SPED class as a parapro. In her spare time, you can find her hosting get-togethers or hanging out with her husband in his man-made he-shed—affectionately called AM & PM's.
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