Come Out from the Tomb
Have you ever felt as though the burdens you encounter and the cares of the world have drawn the very life out of you? Well, I have good news for you! God wants you to "come out from the tomb."
He wants to raise you from the dead and give you new hope and strength to endure the difficulties of life.
"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (NIV)
We entomb ourselves with the sins of the world, allowing our lives to be wrapped in the shroud of despair. Because we have forsaken the "joy of the Lord," we no longer have the strength to fight!
"This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." b (NIV)
"The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give!" (NIV)
As we continue in this state, we begin to grieve for who we once were in Him. We long for the sweet communion that once bloomed in our hearts. The merriment of that relationship is lost and the door to the tomb begins to close. Our worship no longer smells sweet but is a disappointing odor to God and those around us.
Our God is very capable of raising the dead and bringing complete restoration in our lives just as He raised Lazarus from the dead. He had to come out from the tomb.
Sometimes God allows us to be placed in the tomb to serve as a testimony to others when He brings us out.
"Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word." (NIV)
This is relative to my situation when suddenly I was thrust into the role of a single parent. I allowed the sins of worry, unbelief, and doubt to take control. There was no joy in my life and depression allowed me to die. It was impossible to help anyone else because there wasn't enough strength to help myself. Now the door to my tomb was closed.
As I lay there in my state of lonely depression, God ministered to my heart that He was there. He promised that He would never leave nor forsake me. Immediately, strength came back into my soul.
The stone to my tomb rolled back as He whispered in my heart:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (NIV)
God used my situation as a witness to encourage others by giving them hope to live. We must focus our attention on Him, so we, like Lazarus, will be able to hear His voice when He calls: "Come out from the tomb."
No matter what your affliction or bondage is, God is able to raise you from the dead spiritually. When we place our faith and trust in Him, as we lie silently beneath the cares of life, He will do for us just as He did with Jesus. He will raise us from the dead, roll away the stone and say, "Come out from the tomb" and live.
Copyright © Barbara Godfrey. Used by permission.
