Hope for Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones, Part 2 - Greg Laurie Devotion - October 21, 2025
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Hope for Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones, Part 2
“The people who were standing nearby said, ‘See how much he loved him!’” (John 11:36 nlt)
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were siblings and friends of Jesus. When Lazarus got deathly ill, Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus: “Lord, your dear friend is very sick” (John 11:3 nlt). Theirs is a story of hope, although that’s not immediately apparent in the biblical narrative. In our last devotion, we saw that the first takeaway from the story is that life involves pain, sorrow, and death.
The second takeaway is spelled out by Lazarus’ mourners in verse 36: “See how much he loved him!” (nlt). The Lord loves us. God describes His love in Jeremiah 31:3: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself” (nlt). Whatever God does or allows to happen in our lives is motivated by His everlasting love for us.
Mary and Martha knew that Jesus loved them—and that He loved Lazarus. That’s why they sent for Him. They reacted perfectly when crisis hit. They took their troubles to Jesus.
Look at the basis for their appeal. They didn’t say, “Lord, You owe us. We fed You. You and Your friends crashed at our house.” They didn’t base their appeal on their love for Him; they based it on His love for them: “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” Our love is fickle; it fluctuates. The Lord’s love for us never changes.
John 11:5–6 reveals Jesus’ response to Mary and Martha’s message. “So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days” (nlt). When Jesus finally arrived, things were bleak. Lazarus was no longer sick; he was dead—and had been for four days. His body was decomposing. Not only did Jesus not heal His friend, but He also missed the funeral.
If that seems like a less-than-loving response, it’s because we can’t grasp the depth of the Lord’s love. Jesus wanted Mary and Martha to see the bigger picture. He wanted them to understand that because they trusted in Him, death was no longer their enemy. He wanted them to embrace the hope of resurrection.
Neither Martha nor Mary could see the big picture at first, so they focused on the smaller picture—on what seemed like Jesus’ callous disregard. Both sisters confronted Jesus with the words, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died” (verses 21, 32 nlt). Again, they took their problems to Jesus.
And that’s what you need to do when suffering and trials come your way. Some people say, “Don’t ever ask God why.” I say ask God “why” as much as you want. Just don’t always expect an answer. Be honest with Him when you pray. Say, “God, I’m not happy right now. I don’t understand this. I’m hurting. This doesn’t make sense. Why did You let this happen?” Jesus Himself said from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46 nlt).
In the end, though, we live on promises, not explanations. Along with asking “why,” we should ask “what”—as in, what am I supposed to do? The answer is, turn to the Lord with your pain and grief because He loves you.
Reflection question: When do you need to be reminded of God’s love for you?
Copyright © 2025 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/milan2099
Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author, and movie producer. His latest film ‘Jesus Revolution,’ from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, is now available on-demand worldwide.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com and weekly podcast on LifeAudio.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
The book of Revelation is one of the most fascinating and misunderstood books in the Bible. In The Revelation Answer Book, respected prophecy teacher Mark Hitchcock walks through key questions about Revelation in a clear and engaging Q&A format. You’ll explore topics like the mark of the beast, the identity of the 144,000, the Antichrist, the Tribulation, and the return of Jesus, all with solid biblical insight and a focus on hope. Request your copy this month with your gift to Harvest Ministries.
