In Memory
John 11:17-44
NOW when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary sat in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection of the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.’
When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying quietly, ‘the Teacher is here and is calling for you.’ And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the billage, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in teh house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to weep there. Then Mary, when she came where Jesus was and saw him, fel at his feet, saying to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled; and he said, ‘where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘come and see.’ And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, ’see how much he loved him!’ But some of them said, ‘Could not he would opened the eyes of the blind man kept this man from dying?’
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb; it was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, ‘take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. I knew that thou hearest me always, but I have said this on account of the people standing by, that they may believe that thou didst send me.’ When he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with bandages, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘unbind him, and let him go.’
Today we received word that one of the young kids from Children’s transplant program had died after receiving his transplant in January of 2006. We knew his family fairly well, and he was the most engaging and handsome little boy. It is a sad day for all of us, but especially so for his family. I cannot imagine what they are going through.
Transplants are a strange thing–you are close to death when you receive one, so every extra day is a true treasure, a gift from God (as are all days, but you especially feel it after such an event, I think). To die after receiving one, either from rejection or infection, or both, is a very real possibility, even though you can be listed again. Even with the new life, the specter of death and the possibility of another transplant is still tucked away somewhere.
Prayers for this little boy and his family would be greatly appreciated. They are a wonderful family, and their little boy’s life was filled with love from them, and everyone who knew him.
What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies; who is to condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us? Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it iw written, ‘for they sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquers through him who loves us. For I amsure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to sepearet us fromt he love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
–Romans 8:31-39
