He Stinketh!

Two times in the book of John, Christ performs a miracle only to be met with resistance by those whose comfort levels were breached.

In John 5, Jesus heals a man who had been lame and waiting by the pool of Bethesda for 38 years to be healed, telling him to "pick up your mat and walk!" The next two verses speak volumes.

9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”

Later in John Chapter 11, Christ has come to raise Lazarus from the dead:

Jesus said,"take away the stone.". Martha, the sister of him that was dead, said unto Him, "Lord by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days"

How often do we attempt to stifle God's willingness to make His glory manifest because we were afraid of the odor? How often do we dismiss life changing transformations because they don't fit in the box we have created to neatly tuck away the things of our God? If they aren't doing it the way WE would do it, it must be all wrong, and we must make it known. I confess that I judge those who sin differently and those who are not as classy as I think I am.

Father, I pray that we can look beyond the natural, to see the supernatural transformations You are making every day. I pray that we will expand our comfort zone to allow ALL of Your glory the righteous space it requires. I pray we realize that our own righteousness is but rags and filth, and we all "stinketh mightily" and need the continuing grace of our Heavenly Father.