Words That Bear Transformative Power

The stone rolled away from Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus prays to His Father, crying out with a loud voice: “Lazarus, come out.” And the man who had died came out.

John emphasized throughout the story Jesus’ love for Lazarus: “Lord, the one you love is sick” (v3); “Jesus loved…Lazarus” (v5); “See how Jesus loved him” (v36). The love of Jesus speaks, acts, and transforms a person – not power, information, or personal efforts. Yet as Henri Nouwen says, we live in a “world filled with voices that shout: ‘You are no good; you are ugly; you are worthless; you are despicable; you are nobody.’” We hear plenty of internal voices too, inner words filled with self-rejection, fear, guilt, shame, and disappointment. Only the voice of Jesus is life-giving! “Lazarus, come out!” The more we get to know Jesus, the easier it becomes to hear His voice where there is no shortage of powerful, charismatic, and other influential voices. Daily, keep coming back to His voice. He alone is the first word to us and the last word to us – The Voice of Love.