“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”” – John 11:25-26

Scripture reading: 2 Kings 4:18-37

God gives us both the beautiful and the bitter of this life to point us to the life beyond. The Lord tests this woman’s faith to give her a still more glorious revelation of His grace and glory. The woman leaves her dead son and, in faith (Hebrews 11:35), goes to the man of God. Elisha returns and prays for the boy’s restoration. Elisha prays because this is the work of God. The holy man of God lays on the boy and becomes unclean in order to bring life to him. Elisha pictures the miracle of God’s glory and the gospel of God’s grace. But he does so faintly. After all, the boy dies again.

What we need is not the man of God, but the God-man to give new life to the dead. God has done this and displayed His glory in the gospel of our Lord Christ. Christ identifies with us in our humanity and our sin to bring us life from the dead by His own death. In resurrection glory, He ensures our own resurrection at the last day.

This life is a mixture of gladness and sadness and both point us to the beyond. The beautiful reminds us of the generosity of God’s grace to sinners and the indescribable inheritance He has prepared for those who love Him. The bitter makes us feel the pain of the curse so that we don’t become too attached to this world, but, instead, wait with expectancy for the renewal of all things when Christ returns in glory.

Suggestions for prayer

Pray that we may have our eyes fixed on the inheritance that God keeps in heaven for us so that we may rejoice even while we are grieved by various trials.

Reverend John van Eyk has served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Reformed Church (United Reformed) in Lethbridge, Alberta since 2017.