Read, Study and Pray

“Then said Jesus unto them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead.’” (John 11:14)

His followers heard Jesus say that Lazarus was asleep, “but I am going to Bethany in Judea to awaken him.” They responded to what they heard by saying, “Lord, if he is asleep that’s good.” Jesus used sleep as a euphemism for death as Paul did in I Thessalonians 4:13-15. It is the body that both Jesus and Paul refer to as being asleep, not the soul. And further, it always refers to believers and never to the lost. Our souls do not sleep in the graves waiting for the resurrection. No. For the child of God, “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”   (II Corinthians 5:8)

I find it amazing that we can read a verse, passage or chapter in the Bible for months or even years and be as much without understanding as the disciples were concerning Jesus’ use of the word “sleep.” And seemingly out of nowhere comes the illumination of the Holy Spirit and we announce under our breath, “Now, I know what that means.” We feel as the disciples did when Jesus said plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” 

The secret is to keep reading, keep studying, keep comparing scripture with other scripture and keep praying for understanding. The Psalmist said, “I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies (thy Word).” (Psalm 119:125)