“So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” (John 11:3)

What an amazing little sentence the sisters’ call for help was: “Behold, he whom You love is sick.” One of the striking features of their cry was the way they referred to Lazarus, as “he whom You love.” How much that says about Jesus — and about us!

They didn’t tell Jesus: “Lazarus is sick.” Nor did they merely say: “Our brother is sick.” Significantly, they sent word that “HE WHOM YOU LOVE is sick.” Who was Lazarus? He was the one Jesus loved! How much this says about the relationship that Jesus had with man who now found himself critically ill; and through whom Jesus would receive much glory as the episode unfolded. What a description! He was “he whom You loved.”

The thing is, the same thing can be said about YOU! The Bible makes this clear: “For God so loved THE WORLD” that He sent Jesus to save us! (John 3:16) He loves the world, and everyone in it, just as He loved Lazarus. The Apostle Paul knew that love of God to be personal as well. He says He “loved ME, and gave Himself up for ME”! (Galatians 2:20) And because of the message of Jesus and the New Testament, you can say the same thing. God loves YOU! He sent Jesus to save YOU! He wants you to know and experience the love that He has for you, and He wants it to be the anchor of your life every day. If no one else loves you, you can know — every day — that the most important Person in the universe loves YOU, without fail. You can rest your soul, and build your security on it. Who are you? You are the one Jesus loves!

Wouldn’t that have made a great epitaph on the grave of Lazarus? “Here lies one whom Jesus loved.” That is the most important thing that can be said about anybody, and makes all the difference in life, and in eternity! And you need to realize that it can be said about YOU as well. YOU are “the one Jesus loves”!