We all know the story so well of the sorrowing sisters at Bethany, and hundreds of hearts have found comfort from these two little words, " Jesus wept," realizing how He can enter into our sorrows and sympathize as no human friend can. But I think the Lord has a precious lesson to teach us from the words He spoke after He had called Lazarus from the grave.
We read in John 11:43,4443And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. (John 11:43‑44), " He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. ' What grace! None but He could speak the life-giving word which brought Lazarus from the tomb in which he had lain for four days, but instead of taking off the grave clothes Himself He gives that privilege to others. Does not this remind us of that word in 2 Cor. 6:11We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (2 Corinthians 6:1), " Workers together with Him "? How wonderful that we, who were once dead in trespasses and sins, should be allowed to share in His work, to work with Him.
As we seek in any little measure to be made a blessing to the souls around us, we find many who have responded to the loving invitation " Come unto Me," but who are as yet bound hand and foot with grave-clothes. They know the Lord Jesus is the only Savior and have trusted themselves to Him, but have not the full assurance of salvation, never having realized that every claim which God had over them as sinners has been met by the Lord Jesus. They are trusting Him, but do not know the value of His finished work. How much they lose by not enjoying the blessings which are theirs! If we can find out these souls and by pointing them to God's precious Word, help them to see something of the value of the work of His Son, shall we not be answering to our Savior's command " Loose him, and let him go? "
A young lady was once asked to visit a woman who had undergone a serious operation, and although much benefited by it she was seldom able to go out, so found the time hang rather heavily. She went, and during the conversation quoted the well-known passage in John 10:27-3027My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30I and my Father are one. (John 10:27‑30). She then asked the woman if she knew the blessedness of being held in the hand of the good Shepherd. " I hope so," was the reply. The visitor then referred to verse 9, " I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." " Now," she said, pointing to the door of the room they were sitting in, " if you were outside that door and wanted to come in, you would never get inside by hoping you were there. And if you really were inside you would not think of saying ' I hope I am inside this room.' We have just been noticing how the Lord Jesus said, I am the door; by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved.” “Now tell me, where are you, inside or outside? " The woman waited a moment before replying and then looked up and said, " Inside." Further conversation showed that she was trusting the Lord Jesus, but had realized little of the value of His work in dying for her, so gave the oft repeated answer " I hope so," to the most important of all questions.
Not long after this the poor woman grew rapidly worse, and those around could see that she would not be here long. The young lady continued her visits, and it gladdened her heart one day when speaking of the Lord Jesus to the dying woman, to hear her say with much feeling, " He died for me; I long to be with Him." Not many days passed before her desire was realized, and she is now with the One Who loved her and gave Himself for her.
May this little incident encourage any who have a desire to speak a word for the Lord Jesus, to ask Him to bring them in touch with some who are " bound hand and foot with grave clothes," so that they may obey the Master's command " Loose him, and let him go."