Dead to hope? Jesus offers you his own 'Lazarus effect'

[This was originally posted Dec. 24, 2009; revised in 2014]

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said.

"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

-John 11:38-44

A few years ago (2008), I heard a presentation by one of the doctors responsible for making tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) available to stroke patients.

In my own 1998 experience, I could not speak, I could not move my right arm or leg - but after the clot-busting tPA, I regained those abilities. It was a dramatic experience. The doctor called it "the Lazarus effect."

'Give you a future filled with hope'

I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope. When you call me and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you search for me, yes, search for me with all your heart, you will find me.

-Jeremiah 29:11-13

Hope ever seem hopeless?

Personally, I'm a big fan of hope. But still, sometimes hope seems distant. Once, when people were in exile and hope seemed distant, this reminder came: "... they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope."

These verses stay with me for lots of reasons. I've run across it off and on in my life, which is not a big surprise. It's often-quoted. A couple of years ago, I had a small health scare (odd spot on a lung) that turned out to be nothing of note. A friend quoted one of these verses in response.

There are lots of thoughts these verses generate, but today, remember hope.

Looking for bandages for the soul

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

-Psalm 147:3

We've all had a broken heart, haven't we? Times of sadness or disappointment. Feelings of hopelessness.

Been there.

This Psalm writer tells us that God gives us hope, though, applying the bandage we need for these wounds of inward pain to heal.

Those bandages might not be easy to see during some of those times of heartbroken loss. But don't lose hope - seek his healing of the soul.

'All you who hope in the Lord'

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

-Psalm 31:24

Hope can be a hard-to-find commodity.

Maybe that's not the right way to say it. Hope is marketed every day, everywhere. You see hope offered in infomercials: Look better! Feel better! Fix a body part! Buy this thing! We can make you happy!

Any of this really hope? I'll let you answer that question for yourself.

Have you ever been in the market for hope, real hope? I'm guessing that's part of the human condition - experienced by anyone and everyone. We feel a natural need for hope. We strive for hope. We look for hope.

The Psalm writer was giving a path to real, living hope - remembering the gifts and the wonders God freely offer.

And one of the gifts: Hope. Not infomercial hope, but the real deal.

Stroke and faith - a survivor's story

Photo from Sean P. Anderson via Flickr

Another story of a stroke survivor, and a reminder that strokes pay no attention to someone's station in life, occupation, wealth, notoriety - when a stroke hits, it hits.

Kevin Sorbo recounts place of faith in stroke recovery:

"I was a broken man," Sorbo said. "But I have been revived, redeemed and most certainly I have been reborn. I have been reborn through faith and the hope that comes from that faith."

His testimony included the story of his battle back from three strokes in 1997, the background for his book True Strength. Sorbo described his journey from his TV portrayal of Hercules — the strongest man in the world — to his realization that he was just a mere mortal.

"When those strokes hit me, I went from what I thought was a physical specimen to a guy who couldn’t even stand up without falling down," he said. "My life changed forever in the snap of a finger, or the crack of a neck, in my case. This is where faith and hope come in."

Dead to hope? Jesus offers you his own 'Lazarus effect'

[This was originally posted Dec. 24, 2009; revised in 2014]

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said.

"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

-John 11:38-44

A few years ago (2008), I heard a presentation by one of the doctors responsible for making tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) available to stroke patients.

In my own 1998 experience, I could not speak, I could not move my right arm or leg - but after the clot-busting tPA, I regained those abilities. It was a dramatic experience. The doctor called it "the Lazarus effect."

'I will hope in him'

... his compassion never ends. It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day. My soul claims the Lord as my inheritance; therefore

-Lamentations 3:22-24

Lamentations is not a great marketing book name, is it? It's attributed to the prophet Jeremiah after the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem.

But in these verses, Jeremiah reminds us that as bad as things can get, God is with us. He knows us. He loves us. He will not leave us.

In the days and years after my stroke, I've leaned on God for hope. And it's available to all of us.

'My hope is in you'

But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.

-Psalm 39:7

We're all coached to pin our hopes to something human-made.

Buy this, and you'll be good-looking. Purchase that, and you'll be popular. Drink this, you'll have more friends. Eat that, and you'll lose all the weight you want. Subscribe to this, and all your problems are resolved.

Too often, people pin their hopes on hollow dreams, as directed by entertainment and advertising. I certainly have fallen into this trap.

Consider this Psalm verse. We've looked and looked for hope. Time to place our hope is in God.

'In his word I put my hope'

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.

-Psalm 130:5

Hope. My hope. Your hope.

We've all been there, haven't we - waiting, even reluctantly, in hope? Maybe you're waiting now in hope.

Lately, I've had some disappointments and concerns. Knee still bothers me. Other strange, unexplained lower leg pains, twinges and cramps. A friend seems to be having serious personal issues - yet to be explained. And more.

There's only so much I alone can do about any of these or others. Instead, I wait; my whole being waits. In hope.

'Be our strength every morning'

Lord, be gracious to us;
    we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
    our salvation in time of distress.

-Isaiah 33:2

Somewhere along the way, I became a morning person. Most days when I run, I wake up before dawn, quietly prepare, and run. Not fast, to be certain, but run.

Because of this, I've seen lot of sunrises. Yet I'm never tired of them. A new day, new strength, new hope - all because of God's grace and love.

We often equate night - darkness - with times of distress. Yet God is waiting for us with a sunrise. We long for God, as the verse in Isaiah says. But in his time, morning is coming, with salvation, despite all the distress we face.

(Photo from National Center for Atmospheric Research)

'God's love has been poured out into our hearts'

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

-Romans 5:3-5

I monitor a few other blogs and saw a video, showing how one stroke survivor has seen all the characteristics that Paul described: suffering, perseverance, character, hope.

Watch and learn...

'It has no worries in a year of drought'

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”

-Jeremiah 17:7-8

Ever lived through a long drought? People in parts of the world can become desperate in the lack of water.

We live through other droughts as well. Desperate in the lack of hope. Of confidence. Of relief. You name it - everyone has experienced most of those times.


Today, though, consider the words of Jeremiah. Place your trust in God. You will become like that tree - strong in confidence and ready to face the heat and drought as you confront life.


(Image from Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

'Overflow with hope'

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

-Romans 15:13

"The God of hope ..." That's a phrase full of promise. No matter what you are going through, God is the God of hope.

When you find yourself struggling for hope - look for his promises to "fill you with all joy and peace." Trust him in his word.

Does hope always mean we get exactly what we wish for in this world alone? No. God gives hope not to the fleeting wishes for a material world, but far beyond this world. He gives us "overflow with hope."

'...Plans to give you hope and a future.'

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

-Jeremiah 29:11

These words were delivered to exiles in Babylon. Words of hope and promise for the future.

Plans are important. But people often don't like making plans. They often require dull and tedious work. They can be thwarted by outside influence. Even the  best plans can go awry. They are, after all, a product of people. Those imperfect people.

God loves those imperfect people so much, though, that he has plans for those people. The plans were promised those many years ago to those in exile. Does God have plans for you? I'm convinced that he does. He loves you like he loved his exiles.

God has plans to give you hope and a future, too.

Rewiring the post-stroke brain

A summary of a study done in the town where I live. Sometimes, you read about a report that mirrors your own experience. Like those studied in research on pushing the brain to find new pathways, I felt my brain rewiring itself for far longer than six months:

Until recently, scientists believed that, following a stroke, a patient had about six months to regain any lost function. After that, patients would be forced to compensate for the lost function by focusing on their remaining abilities. Although this belief has been refuted, a University of Missouri occupational therapy professor believes that the current health system is still not giving patients enough time to recover and underestimating what the human brain can do given the right conditions.

In a recent article for OT Practice Magazine, Guy McCormack, clinical professor and chair of the occupational therapy and occupational science department at the MU School of Health Professions, argues that health practitioners believe their clients need more time and motivation to reclaim lost functions, such as the use of an arm, hand or leg. With today's therapies, it is possible for patients to regain more function than ever thought possible, McCormack said.

"Patients are able to regain function due to the principle of neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to change, especially when patients continue therapy long after their injuries," McCormack said. "Therapists once believed the brain doesn't develop new neurons; but, now they know neurons change their shape and create new branches to connect with other neurons, rewiring the brain following an injury or trauma."

Sometimes, it's hard for stroke survivors to learn patience - myself included. I felt so much frustration on reading and writing, finding the wrong words when speaking. In particular, volume or tone was wrong, or I would mixup pronouns - calling a guy a "her" or a woman a "him." Weird.

On some days, I could even feel that I my brain had moved up one more notch. One in particular was very close to home. I was in much (St. James United Methodist, in Little Rock) and was during a hymn. I had felt like I could no longer carry a tune. But on that day, suddenly I gained some ground; I could have sworn that I felt it.

So in a house of worship, I lifted up my own little prayer.

Patience is hard sometimes. But this study gives some hope that even months and months post-stroke, rewiring is possible.

'Near through the blood of Christ'

[R]emember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

-Ephesians 2:12-13

A friend had a stroke last week and reminds me of the concerns that so many stroke survivors and loves ones go through. One in particular: What will I get back?

For some, it's a question of physical recovery. In my own case, it was a matter of speaking, reading and writing. I made my living as a reporter and editor, so was naturally concerned - no, make that almost frantic - to get back the ability to use language.

So what's the Ephesians got to do with it? Consider Paul's words to a group who were one step away from a pagan culture. In verse 12, Paul tells them that not long before, they were without God and therefore without hope. But verse 13 - and a few verses before and beyond - Paul reminds the recipients the good news - they are now united in Christ, and they' re in the household of hope.

In a two-verse phrase, Paul reminds them that outside that household, they had no hope. As citizens of the household of God, they had hope eternally.

That’s pretty powerful but the word "hope" is so, so often misunderstood by a world. So many people have no idea even what hope means. I’ve even heard people badmouth hope. One commentator wrote that “hope is for losers.” If that’s true, then Lord, let me be a loser.

Did hope promise that everything will be perfect? No.

It means that no matter what happens, your place in the household of hope is secure.

'Joyful ... patient ... faithful'

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

-Romans 12:9-12

"Be joyful in hope ... ."

Paul went through some dreadful, awful, torturous experiences during his ministry. But again and again, he wrote about hope.

I can't imagine the life Paul had - he turned turned from society's "in" crowd and took the path of the often persecuted. Perfect? No. But that was not required for Paul and it's certainly not required for Christ followers.

So when human afflictions seem overwhelming, I hope you can find comfort in Paul's writings. He, too, was afflicted but found peace.

'Trust in him'

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

-Romans 15:13

Paul's messages were often messages of hope. Some key words in this one: "as you trust in him." So trust can generate hope.

Trust him. And accept the overflow of hope.

(Image from www.heartlight.org)

'I will sing of your strength'

From Korea 2006

But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.

-Psalm 59:16

These days, it seems, we are "in times of trouble."

But consider the words above.

Even in our weakest times, God's strength is behind us. When we struggle with our own problems, we can find comfort in God's love.

God is, indeed, our fortress. In that, hope is available to us all. And for that, thank the Lord.

With the wing, comes hope; with hope, comes strength

"[B]ut those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

-Isaiah 40:31

I'm guessing you recognize this from a longer quotation, from Isaiah 40:28-31. I don't have any stats to back it up, but this has to be one of the most quoted verses in the Bible.

It's quoted because it's comforting. And who doesn't need that? It's about hope strengthening faith, and with a renewed strength in faith, so much is possible. Pray today for someone struggling with stroke outcome - pray for a renewal of hope and strength in faith.