He Will Call Our Name!
Scripture Reading — John 11:38-44
Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
—John 11:43
There must have been a fairly large crowd at Lazarus’s tomb, for many people had come to grieve with Martha and Mary. But they wouldn’t have expected something extraordinary to happen. What could happen in a cemetery?
But then Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Would you have stepped forward to help? A few people obviously did, for the tomb was soon opened. Then every eye must have been on Jesus. There must have been a tense, nervous silence as they waited to see what he would do.
And what Jesus did was look up and speak aloud with his heavenly Father. He wanted to make clear that he and the Father were in this together. In the sorrow, in the anger, and in the battle against death, they were together—one.
Then Jesus spoke. But he didn’t address “death” or Satan or “the darkness.” He didn’t dignify the enemy by speaking to it. Instead he addressed his friend: “Lazarus, come out!” And Lazarus, one of us, heard Jesus’ voice and came out of his tomb! Then his life-filled body was restored to his loved ones.
Jesus had healed people, fed people, and walked on water. But this! Jesus also raised the dead!
Jesus will also call our names and bring us out of death—into life that will never end. “Do you believe this?” (John 11:26).
I know, Jesus, that one day you will call my name, and I too will walk out of death into glorious, full life in your eternal kingdom. Thank you! Thank you, Lord! Amen.
About the author — Harvey Stob
Rev. Harvey Stob and his wife, Audrey, served as missionaries in Argentina for eleven years. They then served churches in Cincinnati, Ohio; Ridgewood, New Jersey; and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Harvey retired from full-time pastoral work in 2009. He and Audrey have three children and seven grandchildren.
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