A message left Bethany, Lord behold,

the one thou lovest is sick.

Love heard every word, yet waited where he stood.

Two days passed

in silence Then the road turned back to stone Master,

they sought to kill thee there Still he would not leave

his friend alone Lazarus sleeps, I go to

wake him They heard rest where death had been Then plainly

came the harder word Lazarus is dead, let us go

to him

Four days held the doorway, mourners filled the home.

Martha ran to meet him,

Mary waited in the gloom. Lord, hadst thou been here? My

brother had not died, yet even now what God has asked,

God will not set aside. Hadst thou been here, the grave

would not have won.

The lament named the absence, but mercy still had come.

Hast thou been here? The heart could only say Yet the

resurrection stood before the final day

Thy brother shall rise

again I know the last days hold But resurrection was not

only a distant door to open. The life stood there before

her and asked belief to speak. She named him Christ and

Son of God, the promised one they sought.

The resurrection and the life had entered Bethany. The one

believing, though he died,

will live beyond the grave. And whosoever lives and trusts shall

never truly die. The resurrection and the life was standing

in their pain.

Mary heard the secret call and rose beneath the tears.

She fell before the same two feet that grief had waited

years. Lord, hadst thou been here? The mourners wept around.

He groaned within his spirit At the sorrow death had sown

Where have ye laid him?

Come and see Jesus wept

Some saw love inside the tears Some asked

why sight had failed Could not the one who opened eyes

Have kept this man from death The cave stood closed by

stone For days beyond farewell Take ye away the stone

Martha whispered of the smell Said I not

unto thee If thou wouldest believe Thou shouldest

see the glory of God The stone began

to move He lifted up his eyes thanked the

Father who always heard, and spoke for those who stood around,

that they might trust the sent one's word.

Then came the cry through death's shut door, Lazarus, come forth.

The name struck through the four -day grave The bound man

crossed the dark Hands and feet still wrapped in cloth His

face beneath the band The dead man stood among the living

at the voice of the Son of God.

The resurrection and the life had entered Bethany.

The one believing, though he died,

will live beyond. the grave. The cave surrendered what it held.

The stone could not enforce its claim against the living word

Lazarus, come forth

Loose him and let him go