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John 11:17-44 “Regret”

Ever have a regret in life?  Ever wonder only if something had happened, or perhaps what if you had done something you didn’t do?  Has regret ever accomplished anything?

In this passage, the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, are visibly upset over the death of their brother.  They had sent word to Jesus that their brother was gravely ill, but for some reason or another, Jesus had decided to delay two days before arriving.  By then, it was already too late, with Lazarus enjoying a nice first degree rot in his tomb already.  Both sisters echo their dismay with the words “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (21, 32)

However, Jesus seemed to have planned the timing to show that He is truly God in flesh.  In what would be His last documented miracle (done to others) in the gospel of John, Jesus demonstrated the power He held over death.  From Genesis, you can find that death is a result of sin; therefore Jesus demonstrated here His power over sin.  He would later demonstrate that power again upon the Cross.

Jesus said in John 10:10 that He came to give life to the full.  Instead of waddling around in a cesspool of regret, live in hope.  Instead of wondering “what if’s” and “if only’s” take some time to also ask “what can” and “what will.”  While the past may be regretful for some, the future provides an opportunity to leave those regrets behind for good and a chance to live in hope.

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