Something Stinketh

 

The Gospel of John chapter eleven tells us the story of Jesus’ good friends, sisters Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus, who had fallen gravely ill.

The sisters sent Jesus a message letting Him know of their brother’s condition, but He did not come right away; as a matter of fact, we are told in verse six that Jesus stayed where he was for the next two days

Sadly, before Jesus even made a move to leave where He was, Lazarus died.

When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. – John 11:17 (NLT)

Martha, upon hearing that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him just outside the village. She expressed her belief that if Jesus had been here, her brother would still be alive, but Jesus assured her, “Your brother will rise again.” (v 23).

Jesus was taken to His friend’s tomb.

a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. – John 11:38-39a (NLT)

But Martha protested, saying to Jesus, by this time he stinketh (v 39b KJV).

You’ve prayed, wanting immediate relief, you’ve cried out to Jesus asking Him to come, but He doesn’t. One day goes by, you pray; two days go by, you pray, three days, then four, and maybe it’s been years and your situation hasn’t got any better.

By now, something stinketh.

If you’re honest, oftentimes you behave just like Martha does in this story, where you’d prefer to keep some things hidden in a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. Things in your life that you don’t want to come out or be exposed because they stinketh.

Something that you really need to address but have buried deep within because you’d rather not deal with it.

You’d prefer not to face a certain person to have that difficult conversation so you avoid them like the plague.

You’d rather not come to terms with the grief that you’re feeling so you’ve buried it along with your loved one.

You don’t want to deal with the hurt and the disappointment and the anger and the bitterness that is ravaging your soul.

You want to tuck it all away somewhere and never bring it up or out.

You just think it best to leave it where it is, to not roll the stone aside because you can’t handle the stench.

Beloved, you can’t continue to avoid those things you don’t want to face. Something stinketh but if you are to heal, the stone must be removed. Yes, you’ve prayed but Jesus did not act and you don’t understand why.

Beloved, there are times when you pray, then you sit still and wait and there are other times when you have to act, when you must be an active participant in your restoration.

You pray and you move. You pray and you step into your situation. You pray and you make that call. You pray and you go to a grief counsellor. You pray and you visit the doctor. You pray and you remove the stone and let the stink come out.

Notice, Jesus did not remove the stone from the entrance to Lazarus’ tomb Himself, He told the people to move it, to roll it aside. They participated in the miracle. Jesus allowed them to got involved.

When something stinketh, Jesus allows you to get involved in its removal. You can’t keep avoiding it. You must participate for things to activate.

Beloved, Jesus is waiting for you to move, before He resurrects the dead areas of your life, before He calls forth the miracle.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Something Stinketh” ©2026 March 24, 2026