Pastor's Corner

Jesus Never Abandons Us
Jesus cares greatly for this creation; He made it. Jesus cares even more greatly for us; He made us. And Jesus never abandons what He creates. Jesus never abandons those He loves. We see this es-pecially during the Easter season .

The first time Jesus raised someone from the dead almost seemed to happen on a whim. One time, Jesus was entering a town with His disciples and He saw a funeral procession. A widow was cry-ing. She was burying her only son. The procession was carrying his body through the streets on what would look like a stretcher to us. Jesus said to the woman, “Do not weep.” Then Jesus touched the stretcher and said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” The man sat up and began to speak (Luke 7). Jesus never abandons His creation, or us. He loves us too much.

The second time Jesus raised someone from the dead it was a little girl twelve years old. She was sick for a while, but it was too much, she died. Jesus entered the house with her family and neigh-bors wailing in grief. Jesus took hold of the dead girl's hand and said, "Child, arise.” Her spirit returned, and she got up at once (Luke 8). Jesus never abandons His creation, or us. He loves us too much.

The third time Jesus raised someone from the dead seemed almost impossible. When Jesus ar-rives to Lazarus, it is the fourth day since he died. This is the day many Jews would regard as hopeless, no chance of any life again. Decay has set in. The body bloats, the body smells. Death has won, or so it seems. Jesus never abandons His creation, or us. He loves us too much. When Jesus arrived at Laza-rus’ tomb, the Scriptures say this,

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone” . . . he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out” (John 11).

Jesus is deeply moved by what we all go through in this life. He was so deeply moved He was willing to die on a cross in our place for our sins, so we won’t die on a cross for our sins. And Jesus is so deeply moved by the creation He has made, and us whom He loves, that when He returns again, He will do the same thing for us as He did for Lazarus. Deeply moved, Jesus will stand above our remains and He will say the same words He has said for so many years, “Do not weep . . . child arise . . . come out!” and we will all live again. Jesus will never abandon His creation. And Jesus will never abandon us, He loves us too much. Amen.

– Pastor Grimenstein