The overarching theme of John chapter 11 is God giving new life to something dead. But in the story we see that getting to new life is a journey and there are steps we have to take along the way. The first step is to call on Jesus.
John 11 opens with a problem, Lazarus is sick, and he isn't getting better. His sisters are trying to take care of him, the doctors have come and gone, they've done everything that they have instructed, but nothing is working. And John 11.3, "So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, 'Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.'" When things get bad, they call on Jesus.
I think many people resort to prayer as a last ditch effort out of total desperation. Usually its full of bargaining, offering God countless promises if He will just come through. Sometimes He does and sometimes He doesn't. I don't know why God answers some prayers and not others, and that's not what this post is trying to answer. Many people turn to God as an absolute last resort, and many times it's just because they need help, the promises offered aren't anything people have any intention on following through on most of the time. God isn't Santa, He isn't there to meet all our needs when we feel like calling on Him. God created us for a relationship, and He wants that relationship with us.
We see from the text, and one in Luke, that Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, had a relationship with Jesus. Verse 3 refers to Lazarus as the one Jesus loves. In verse 5 it says, "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus." Luke 10 tells us about a time Jesus was at their house. He spent time with them, He knew them, and they knew Him. There was a relationship there, and I think calling on Jesus was their natural inclination. I don't think it was a last minute desperation thing, I think as soon as they found out that this was a serious sickness they sent word to Jesus.
Notice that they don't ask Him to come, they just tell Him the situation. They knew that Jesus could help, and they knew that He didn't need to come in order to help. They had a relationship with Jesus, and when hard times came, the called on Him.
To receive new life, the first step is always to call on Jesus. In John 1.4 it says, "In Him [Jesus] was life, and the life was the Light of men." And John 10.10 tells us, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I [Jesus] came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
Jesus wants to give life as it was meant to be. And while a relationship with Him helps, sometimes people call on Him without one. Sometimes out of desperation we turn to Jesus for the first time, and that's ok. A relationship with Jesus helps us not to panic in the hard times. When we know Jesus, and when we know He will take care of us, it helps us to remain calm and peaceful in the hard times. When we trust in Him, we are able to call on Him. People don't call out to someone they have lost trust in.
The journey to new life begins by us taking the first step of calling on Jesus. But the thing to remember is that God works on His own time frame, and does things when He will be able to influence the most people and receive the most glory. John 11.6, "So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was." and John 11.4, "But when Jesus heard this, He said, 'This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.'"
We cannot force the hand of God. His desire is to give new life to us. But it is always in His time, and for His glory. All of these steps to new life from God are steps of faith. God doesn't show us the whole journey before hand, if He did we'd be overwhelmed and never take the first step. Each step is a step of faith and trust in God. He is the source of life, and only in Him can we receive it. But to begin, we must call on Him.
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
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