There are no recorded words of Lazarus in the Gospels.

And yet, because of him, many people believed in Jesus. They heard what happened. Lazarus was dead, four days in the tomb, and then he was alive because of Jesus.

Our witness of Jesus is not necessarily something we DO. Rather, we are to BE a witness of His love, His healing power, His ability to take lives that are spiritually dead and make us alive.

I think of the words credited to both Mother Teresa and Francis of Assisi: “Witness all the time and when necessary use words.”

Well, you might say, Lazarus was raised from the dead. That’s a pretty hard act to follow. I can talk about my faith, but I don’t have anything that dramatic to show for it.

But you do!

All of us were dead in our sins before Jesus became our savior.

Just as Lazarus was set free from the stinking grave clothes, so we are set free from the stench of our sins and destructive behavior.

All of us have a story to live and tell of Jesus and His love.

Lazarus was known as a friend of Jesus, even before his dramatic return from the dead. He was a respected member of his community—a nice person, with a good reputation.

That’s important.

But what really drew people to him, and what brought them to salvation, was the witness of his changed life and his relationship with Jesus.

I’m sure that Lazarus was eager to tell people about Jesus—it’s normal to talk about someone who has changed your life. The woman at the well, who also had a dramatic encounter with Jesus, couldn’t wait to tell everyone as she exclaimed, “Come and meet a man who told me everything I ever did! Can this be the Messiah?” (John 4:29, NIV).

Whether our witness is verbal or through our actions, may it be laced with love and a genuine caring for the other person, as a true reflection of God’s love for us. “Lighthouses don’t fire guns or ring bells to call attention to their light, they just shine.” —Sherwood E. Wirt

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A dear friend, who is now in heaven, had a unique way of ministering to people. She was in her seventies, lived on a boat with her husband, and adopted my wife and me as her surrogate children.

If you visited her, she would often motion for you to follow her to the end of her boat and invite you to step down into the little dinghy tied to the stern.

With a pleasant smile, she would settle in and begin rowing. Your destination was somewhere out in the middle of the bay, where she would pull up the oars and invite you to say what’s on your mind.

She was a great listener, hearing countless hours of people’s problems and tribulations. She was always sympathetic and concerned, but her advice, tempered by her age and experience, was often direct and straightforward.

I found myself in her little dinghy more than once, and remember her patting my hand, looking right at me, saying, “You’ve got your eyes on yourself, instead of God.”

She was right.

Sometimes, people would take offense. After all, we found her so easy to talk with that we poured out our hearts, told her our problems and fears, only to hear her gently rebuke us. After a while, though, I realized how right she was.

It’s not wrong to hurt.

It’s just that it hurts more when we focus on our circumstances rather than on what God wants to do, rather than remembering how much He loves us and wants the best for us. My friend, whose own life was shaped by a multitude of hardships and heartaches, reminded us to stop and thank God and praise Him for all He has done for us.

Why should I praise God, you ask, when there is so much wrong in my life?

Because… He is God.

And because you are “beloved of God” (Romans 1:7).

He is, Paul wrote, “the Father of mercies.” When the Hebrews used the term “father of, ” they meant the originator, the author of. God is the originator of all mercy, and His mercy is “manifold” (Nehemiah 9:19) and “tender” (Psalm 25:6), and there are “multitudes” of His tender mercies for each of us (Psalm 51:1).

It is God’s very nature to comfort you, especially when life is hard.

I can’t tell you how many people took that little ride out into the middle of the bay with my friend. But I do know that she would want each of us to remember, even in hard times, the Lord’s tender mercies.

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A memorial forever, Joshua said. That means that the day when the Lord provided a miracle for the children of Israel would be remembered for all eternity.

This month, we observe Memorial Day and stop to thank God for the men and women who have served our country, many giving their lives for our freedom and safety.

In our fast-paced world, we need moments to stop and think, and remember what’s important: milestones in our lives, times when God answered prayers, people who impacted us, and people who gave themselves for us. If we don’t take the time to remember, we are in danger of falling into despair when life is hard. We lose sight of who God is and how much He loves us. We too easily forget the people He has given us to bless our lives, people we know, as well as strangers who lay down their lives for the good of us all.

Psalm 42 is a classic example of how taking the time to remember can overcome depression, disappointment, and heartache.

The psalmist laments, “O my God, my soul is downcast within me.”

Read the whole psalm and you’ll see that this was not just a mild case of the blues, but the story of a man drowning in sorrow, weeping in the night, despairing of life.

“O my God, my soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you,” he says. He stops to remember God’s goodness and mercy. He begins to see light in the darkness.

He remembers. Memorial Day is a day to remember those who served us, those whom God provided to give us freedom. A day to help us thank God for our blessings, and to never forget. A day for memorials so that we can tell our children about the sacrifices of others, and the goodness of the Lord.

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The disciples were tired. At the end of a long day, they complained to Jesus, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food” (Matthew 14:15, NIV). The throngs that followed Jesus were a mixed crowd living in a compromised and backslidden nation that suffered under the boot of Rome.

Spiritually bankrupt, traitors to their heritage, many were prostitutes, tax collectors, thieves, and sinners of all kinds.

The disciples were done for the day and wanted them gone. But Jesus “had compassion on them and healed their sick.”

“They do not need to go away,” He gently rebuked his disciples. “You give them something to eat.”

“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they protested.

Perhaps you already know the miracle, that Jesus prayed, gave thanks, asked his disciples to distribute the meager food, and wondrously, all 5,000 men plus women and children were fed to satisfaction—with leftovers!

As the only miracle recounted in all four Gospels, there is an important lesson here. The miracle was awesome and must have stunned the people. But what preceded the miracle? What caused it to happen?

“I have compassion for these people; they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat,” Jesus said (Mark 8, Matthew 15).

He did not look down on their sinfulness. He didn’t shoo them away from His holy presence. He loved them, healed them, wanted to forgive them, and was filled with compassion.

We are called to compassion. We might try to send problems away, like the disciples did. Not my problem.

But God asks us to look at others with compassion, and to give what we can, even a small portion. A little money, a minor gift or talent, a space of time—whatever we can.

Jesus did two things. He blessed the bread, then broke it. Because of His compassion, there was enough for everyone.

The miracle began in Jesus’ hands, then was distributed to the people by the hands of His disciples.

Feeding the people was not a miracle for the sake of a miracle, but because Jesus had compassion. Compassion leads to miracles! “The Lord your God will…have compassion on you.” —Deuteronomy 30:3

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When the crowds came to see Jesus, carrying their sick, blind, and lame, they laid their loved ones at Jesus’ feet.

The place of blessing is at the feet of Him Who walked on water, whose bleeding feet washed the suffering, sin, and afflictions of humanity. They humbled themselves, and He healed them all, physically and spiritually:

The lame. The lame were often shunned and reduced to begging in Jesus’ time. Spiritually lame believers, who look physically fit but struggle to walk with God in the Spirit, try but stumble and fall. Just as Jesus heals the physically lame, He can heal our spiritual lameness.

The blind. The spiritually blind live their outward lives looking strong, but their minds are filled with confusion, anxiety, and darkness. To live spiritually blind is grueling and dangerous. We need the eye salve of the Holy Spirit to heal the blindness in our lives and reveal the Light.

The mute. Believers who can see and walk, but whose lips are sealed. They know the truth, their actions and lifestyle reflect spiritual values, but they are silent about God. They have lost their voice! Fear and doubt silence their testimony and prevent them from praising God. But the Great Physician can make even the spiritually mute able to speak!

The maimed. Those who have hands, feet, and even tongues to praise God, but sin has crippled their lives. Guilt, shame, and living under condemnation make us ineffective in our service to God. There are those who once walked in the power of the Holy Spirit, but they have been wounded and maimed.

The Lord can heal it all and give you a fresh start and revelation of how precious you are to Him, as His son or daughter.

Anything that hinders your JOY in the Lord needs to be brought to the feet of Jesus to be healed. Just as He bowed down and washed the feet of His disciples, surrender to Him and receive hope and healing. They came to Him, and He healed them all.

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Is there any excuse or room for prejudice or discrimination among people of faith?

Jesus had traveled to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, a predominantly Gentile region of Galilee, known as Decapolis.

By going there, Jesus crossed social and racial barriers, entering a territory where Jewish people didn’t normally hang out.

He sat down on a mountainside, and crowds started streaming toward Him. These people knew very little about His Jewish heritage or faith, yet they were drawn to Him.

Ministering to His fellow Jews, Jesus often praised someone’s “great faith” or said, “Your faith has healed you” (Mark 5:34). They knew the prophecies about the Messiah. They knew Jewish scripture. Many of them began to recognize who Jesus was.

But here, in this Gentile territory, racial prejudice and animosity existed on both sides. Many were outcasts, shunned by society and ignorant of Jewish tradition.

But they were drawn to Jesus and brought “the lame, the blind, the crip- pled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet.”

And He healed them.

No discrimination, no prescription, no questions asked, no fee required. They came to Jesus. And He healed them all.

The people were amazed and began to praise the true God of Israel. Then He fed them a miraculous meal in which seven loaves and a few small fish multiplied to feed four thousand men, besides women and children, with leftovers.

What a beautiful picture of the position, power, and love of Jesus.

Is there any room for prejudice and discrimination among people of faith?

Jesus answered that question with His actions and His love. No matter who we are, what we know or don’t know, we can all come to Jesus for help and healing. He turns no one away. Ever. You never know who God might bring your way to challenge some of your prejudices and fears. Jesus showed us what to do. Welcome, love, and minister to those in need in His Name.

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Jesus was in a tough place. Towns where He had performed miracles—where “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor” —rejected Him.

“These cities did not attack Jesus Christ; they did not drive Him from their gates; they did not seek to crucify Him. They simply disregarded Him. Neglect can kill as much as persecution.”

Jesus cried out to them, “Woe to you, woe to you!…For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 11:21).

He grieved over their indifference.

And yet, in the middle of this heartbreaking scenario, Jesus prayed to His Father:

“O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.”

He thanked and praised the Lord of Heaven. He trusted in His Father’s plan even when things weren’t lining up.

The source of Jesus’ great joy is His absolute trust in the Father’s plan.

He trusted in the sovereign Lord of all. Not even the rejection of His people would thwart the ultimate purposes of God.

The sophisticated religious leaders and the wise and learned who rejected Him did not see what ordinary people saw.

Jesus would face even harder times leading up to the crucifixion, but in every circumstance, He knew He could trust in His Father’s plan—indeed, He found great joy in the midst of hardship.

Is life hard for you right now? Things aren’t going according to plan?

Jesus understands.

This story ends with Him reaching out and comforting His followers, then and now:

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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” (Matthew 11:28-29, NIV).

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God does not force us into a small corner, asking us to live, worship, and behave the same. He loves variety!

As I’ve said before, unity is not uniformity.

But we are alike in one respect. What pulls us all together is not agreement on the details.

We are united and alike in that all believers have been anointed with one Spirit.

Unity is indeed like precious oil. Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. It is thick and fragrant! The High Priests of ancient Israel were anointed with special oil, as instructed by God to Moses (Exodus 30:23).

The same oil was used to anoint priests, prophets, and kings who needed the Holy Spirit to fulfill their callings.

This is also true for each of us. This oil was not dabbed on but poured over their heads, running down their beards. Likewise, we need to be drenched in the Holy Spirit as we live and serve together in the Kingdom of God.

Then what follows is “the dew of Hermon,” symbolizing the life-giving Word of God that shows us how to walk in obedience, humility, brokenness, and victory. We learn to receive and live the abundant life Jesus promised, filled with the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

The Holy Spirit unites us, poured out upon a variety of characters who happen to be your brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ! Not all alike, but united by His Spirit. “For there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life forevermore.”

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The importance of friends, the need to join hands, and friendship in Jesus’ Name, strengthens our faith and just plain makes life better. It also builds unity in the church.

But sometimes it’s hard to make these connections. I have some suggestions:

Choose to belong to this family. If you are a believer in Jesus, you are part of God’s family. Choose to be involved, to make a commitment to other believers. I know it can be hard, and we are often afraid of commitment. The church is not just an organization that accomplishes good things. The heart of the church is to be a family, where we can bless, encourage, exhort, and teach one another.

Make friends for the purpose of sharing your spiritual journey.

“Together with God’s holy people,” the scripture above says. Together we learn, pray, weep, and rejoice as we help each other understand the depth of God’s love.

Do your part in God’s family. Everyone has a role to play. Everyone has gifts they can share. That’s how families work. Don’t be intimidated by that. Your skills and talents are as important and needed as anyone else’s. Church members are not consumers—we are part of a community, a fam- ily. The level and strength of unity increase when we share the duties.

Be devoted. I recently told my church, I will stand with you, committed and devoted, no matter what. As brothers and sisters, we cannot be tearing down, accusing, and criticizing. Jesus promised, “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). In unity, we are devoted to Jesus and His church, in a divine commitment, and an answer to His prayer for us, “that they all may be one” (John 17:21).

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Do you ever feel isolated and alone, even in the midst of a busy life? We live in a culture so overwhelmed with information and technology that we are in danger of losing the personal touch of friendship.

We don’t even have to go to the store or mall to shop; click on a website, purchase, and have it delivered. We don’t have to talk to people in person; it can all be done (so we think) through technology.

Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate and use technology, computers, and smartphones as much as anyone. But they can’t replace true friends who can understand what you are going through. Friends who know your temptations, struggles, fears, and problems.

Friends with skin who can hug you and hold your hands in prayer.

The enemy wants to isolate you and get you alone, but your Heavenly Father knows that is not healthy.

Jesus prayed for unity among His followers, and He made it easy to start.

“Where two or three are gathered, in My name,” He said. Only two—or maybe three—when we gather in His Name, we are united. And what does He promise?

“I am there, in the midst.”

He is present.

The Lord is there! It’s not hard, He’s telling us. Start with two and watch what happens. When He sees that, it is a spark of heavenly unity through which He will bless us with fellowship and answered prayers. “Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” —Matthew 18:19

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