Back from the Dead...

“Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him”…On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days…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”…Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands wrapped with strips of cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

Gospel of John 11:14-44


Bet you didn’t know that the “L” in John L. Smith stands for “Lazarus” did you?

Now I’ve never seen a coach actually get fired. I’m talking about the conversation which includes the phrase, “we’re going in a new direction” or “we need a fresh start” or simply, “clean out your office, you’re fired.” I am sure these things happen in the privacy of the athletic director’s office or some other such secluded place. But I have seen plenty of games that ended with the final thought, “that dude just got fired.”

I couldn’t help but draw that conclusion as Northwestern went up on Michigan State 38-3 with 9:54 left in the third quarter. “Poor John L, he’s so fired.” Just has Lazarus laid in the tomb for four days, the Spartans looked dead for four weeks losing to Notre Shame, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio State. And just like a decaying body, Michigan State stunk of the foulest football odors.

But just like Lazarus, Smith rose from the dead and spurred the suddenly Mighty Spartans to 38 straight points and the biggest comeback in the history of Division-I football. Would you expect anything less from Michigan State football?

What have we learned by this dramatic reversal of fortune?

1. The Good Book is as important as ever; and

2. John L“azarus” Smith has been resurrected from certain termination, at least until next week.