from Gary Hamrick
... Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Chapel
for
The Hope Beyond the Grave
... Your hope is anchored not in changing circumstances but in the unchanging Savior who has overcome the grave.
John 11:25 NKJV (devotion translation)
Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.’
Devotion:
Today’s Scripture reminds us that our greatest hope is found in the person of Jesus Christ.
When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. To Mary and Martha, it appeared that Jesus had come too late. Yet the Lord was not absent from their suffering, nor was He unaware of their grief. His delay was not a lack of love but part of His perfect purpose. Even as He prepared to display His power over death, Jesus entered into the sorrow of those He loved. His tears remind us that the Son of God is both sovereign and compassionate.
Jesus did not simply promise a future resurrection. He declared that He Himself is the resurrection and the life. Eternal life is not merely a gift apart from Christ. It is found in Him. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus conquered sin and death so that all who trust in Him may have the assurance of everlasting life.
This truth also shapes how believers face the trials of this present life. We may not understand God’s timing, and His ways often differ from our expectations. Yet His purposes are always wise and good. The same Lord who called Lazarus from the tomb remains faithful today. He is worthy of our trust even when His plans unfold differently than we had hoped.
Because Christ lives, those who belong to Him can face both life and death with confidence, knowing that His promises cannot fail.
Rest today in the certainty that your hope is anchored not in changing circumstances but in the unchanging Savior who has overcome the grave.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for being the resurrection and the life. Teach me to trust Your perfect timing and to rest in the hope You have secured through Your victory over death. Strengthen my faith to follow You each day. Amen.
Digging Deeper:
- John 11:1-44 ↗ - Jesus raises Lazarus, revealing His power over death and His compassion for those who grieve.
- John 11:35-40 ↗ - Jesus weeps with Mary and Martha while calling them to trust God’s greater purpose.
- 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 ↗, 54-57 ↗ - Christ’s resurrection guarantees victory over death for all who belong to Him.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ↗ - Believers grieve with hope because those who die in Christ will be raised.
- Romans 8:38-39 ↗ - Nothing, not even death, can separate believers from the love of God in Christ.
- Revelation 21:3-4 ↗ - God promises the final removal of death, sorrow, and pain in His eternal kingdom.
- Psalms 27:13-14 ↗ - Trust the Lord’s goodness and wait confidently for His perfect timing.