More than we expect

Jesus raises Lazarus to Life - John 11:1-44

There is a pattern in the miracles of John: Jesus rarely gives exactly what is asked. He gives more.  

Mary and Martha wanted healing.

Jesus brings resurrection.

Again and again, people come to Jesus with a specific need and he responds in ways that go beyond what seems reasonable or expected. His actions do not simply solve a problem; they reveal something about the nature of God.

And this is both beautiful and unsettling.

It is beautiful because it means God’s grace is abundant; overflowing, generous, and expansive. But it is unsettling because it means we do not always get what we think we need. Instead, we are invited into something deeper, something that may challenge our assumptions and stretch our understanding.

We often come to God with small prayers.

“Fix this.”

“Help me get through.”

“Make this easier.”

And sometimes God answers, not by making things easier, but by transforming us in the midst of them.

This kind of grace requires trust. It asks us to believe that God sees more than we do, that God’s vision of life is larger than our own.

Where might you be holding onto a limited vision, when God is inviting you into something fuller?

The miracle is not just that God responds—it is that God responds with abundance.

God of abundance, expand my vision of what you are doing in my life. Help me to trust you when your answers look different than I expected. Open me to the fullness of the life you are creating. Amen.

^{This piece is offered by Sterling United Methodist Church and was written in collaboration between Rev. Bert Cloud and Sharon Rosenfeld. It is inspired by the book Seven Miracles: Signs of Life in the Gospel of John by Gina Anderson-Cloud, Megan Dietrick, Bill Gray, Daniel Park, Isaiah Park & Lauren Todd}