The Heart Of Recovery By Deborah and David BeddoeSample

Day Two

A Story for All of Us

Scripture: John 11:1-44

The story of Lazarus offers us guidance and comfort as we stand by our loved one who struggles with addiction.

By chapter 11 of John’s Gospel, Jesus is three years into his public ministry, and he has established a reputation for healing. So when Lazarus gets sick, and his sisters send for Jesus, they have faith he will heal their brother.

When Jesus finally returns to Bethany, the sisters greet him, weeping, and his heart breaks with love and compassion. Jesus, who could have prevented this death, weeps beside the mourners! 

A crowd of family, friends, skeptics, and spies gathers around Jesus and the sisters and follows the mourners to the tomb. When the village is assembled, Jesus says to them, “Take away the stone.” Martha objects. Lazarus has been dead for days and it will stink! But they do it anyway, because it’s Jesus, and everyone—no matter what their motive at this point—is hoping for a miracle. 

So Jesus prays loudly. And then he shouts so everyone around can hear: “Lazarus! Come out!” And miraculously, Lazarus, who was absolutely, unquestionably dead a minute ago, emerges from the tomb with his hands and feet and face still wrapped like a mummy. I’m sure the crowd stared in awe, perhaps anticipating a magical transformation of mummy into man. Instead, Jesus turns to the mesmerized crowd and tells them to finish the job: “Unbind him, and let him go” (John 11:19). 

With that command, suddenly setting Lazarus free from the shroud of death and restoring him to life becomes a community effort. Jesus had said this pivotal moment would show God’s glory. He is allowing the willing bystanders to touch a piece of that glory. 

We cannot bring about the miracle that frees someone from addiction—that is God’s job. But just as the community of bystanders followed Jesus’s command and unwrapped Lazarus’s hands, his feet, his face, we can help unbind the one we love. We’ll be considering what that looks like over the next few days.

Lord, help me be a willing bystander. Help me to see your glory as [name] continues this journey of recovery. Amen.