Such a friend is the Lord Jesus Christ (continued)
Mark the simple humility of their language about Lazarus. They call Him "He whom You loves. They do not say, "He who loves You, believes in You, serves You," but "He whom You loves." Martha and Mary were deeply taught of God. They had learned that Christ's love towards us, and not our love towards Christ, is the true ground of expectation, and true foundation of hope-Blessed,—again, are all those who are taught likewise! To look inward to our love towards Christ is painfully unsatisfying: to look outward to Christ's love towards us is peace. Mark, lastly, the touching circumstance which the message of Martha and Mary reveals: "He whom You loves is sick." Lazarus was a good man, converted, believing, renewed, sanctified, a friend of Christ, and an heir of glory. And yet Lazarus was sick! Then sickness is no sign that God is displeased. Sickness is intended to be a blessing to us, and not a curse. "All things work together for good to those who love God, and are called according to His purpose." "All things are yours,—life, death, things present, or things to come: for you are Christ's; and Christ is God's." (Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 3:22-23. Blessed, I say again, are those who have learned this! Happy are they who can say, when they are ill, "This is my Father's doing. It must be well." I invite the attention of my readers to the subject of sickness. The subject is one which we ought frequently to look in the face. We cannot avoid it. It needs no prophet's eye to see sickness coming to each of us in turn one day. "In the midst of life we are in death." Let us turn aside for a few moments, and consider sickness as Christians. The consideration will not hasten its coming, and by God's blessing may teach us wisdom. In considering the subject of sickness, three points appear to me to demand attention. On each I shall say a few words. 1. The universal prevalence of sickness and disease.