What does a vacuum cleaner have to do with a dead guy?

What helps a person to recover or bounce back from a tragedy? The answer to this question is going to vary depending on the spiritual level of one's life.

In last weeks YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I asked the following question, "what helps you to recover when you are tense?" The top 3 answers were:

81% of those polled, said that what helps them is spending time in prayer.
45% voted and said that spending time in God's Word helps them recover from tension.
36% of those voting said that listening to an uplifting song helps them.

I am glad to see that what or Who we turn to to release our tension is the One who holds the answer to all of our problems. Not only does God hold the key but we even see in His Word where He went to great lengths to demonstrate this to us.

Many times before people buy a product, they want to see it demonstrated. They want to be sure they are getting their "moneys worth". That is why carpet cleaners offer specials to come and demonstrate their fantastic new carpet vacuum or shampooer for "free" - they want to demonstrate how awesome of a product they have for sale. Television has caught onto this great sales pitch - that is why "infomercial" is so popular these days.

The principle of demonstrating what you have to offer is a good idea, but RAINBOW vaccums did not come up with it. Actually, isn't what Jesus did through Lazarus long ago, a way that His love and His power over the grave was demonstrated to those who may not believe?

JOHN 11:17 "On His arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days."

JOHN 17: 39 "Take away the stone," He said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." (40) Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

What Jesus was about to do for Lazarus was something much more than just a special favor for a special friend. It was a demonstration of God's power over death and certainly an illustration of what is to come for each of us who believes in Christ.

JOHN 11:43, 44 Jesus called out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" (44) The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

We are much like Lazarus clothed in his grave clothes when we doubt the power of God. But when we respond to the calling of God and believe on Him, like Lazarus, we step out of the grave clothes to start a new beginning.

God has demonstrated His love over and over for us....

now that is something we just shouldn't pass up!

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD is a reflection of a recent personal study I have done. This past week I was reading and studying the story of Lazarus. I am overwhelmed with the power of God. Aren't you?