“Move the stone away from Lazarus’ grave,” Jesus said. That’s what Jesus told Mary, Martha and company after weeping over Lazarus. The instruction went over like a lead balloon and swiftly met opposition – he’s been dead four days. Oh, the stench! Nothing good could come from following that directive– or so they thought.
Some trees were being cut down near the Jordan River. Someone borrowed an axe to complete the work. The axe head fell into the river. The man was upset and told Elisha about the axe being borrowed. You know how it is when you use borrowed tools and break/lose/destroy them. Ugh. Elisha asked the man, “Where did it fall?” The man pointed to the water. There. Elisha proceeded to cut down a stick and threw it into the water. And surprisingly, the iron axe head floated to the surface! Elisha told the man to retrieve the tool head. It was such a crazy solution to that problem. But when God gives directions, if we follow them, results will follow.
The answer God has prepared for you is not what you were expecting, hoping, or planning for. I understand that. But.
Let Jesus fix it for you- the adulterous woman, the lepers, the blind man, the woman at the well, etc. All these situations and more were fixed by Jesus in His way, in His time. Many folks had something to say about how He fixed it/when He fixed it/and for whom He fixed it. But that didn’t change God’s choice of moving.
If you let Him, He will fix it for you. The catch is you have to be willing to do what He is saying to do, even if it feels like it’s not how you would want it fixed. If you move the stone friends and family of Lazarus; if you walk back to Bethlehem Judah with Ruth, Naomi; if you hide the spies, Rahab; if you build the ark, Noah; if you trust Him and stop leaning to your own understanding and let go of Benjamin, Israel; if you dip in the dirty Jordan River seven times Naaman, the leper. You get the point.
Let Jesus Fix it For you. Oh, He knows, He knows, He knows, He knows, just what to do. Let Jesus fix it for you. So go to work, school, and church – wherever you have to go, follow His directives (not what you think you should do, but do exactly what He’s telling you to do). He will fix it in His way and in His Time!
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. 2 Kings 6:1-7 (KJV)
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)
In the Master’s Service,
Author/Pastor Michele D Robertson
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)