Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
-John 11:17 -
There are many lessons and interesting approaches to this encounter between Jesus and the family that he loved. These verses tell of Martha’s rush to meet Jesus as he came into Bethany, four days after they buried her brother Lazarus. Surely, she was grieving and confused. I wonder what those days “in between” must have been like for she and Mary as they watched their brother die, prepared him for burial, placed him in the tomb, and waited. Did they wonder if Jesus loved them as much as they thought? Did they adjust their expectations to fit their circumstances?
In many ways, waiting is the real proving ground of faith. When our expectations have not been met and we are no longer sure what we are waiting for, it can be difficult to keep from slipping into despair. But we have this in common with Mary and Martha: we are waiting for Jesus, and when He reveals Himself, we know something good will happen.
No doubt, Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to come quickly and heal their brother. He didn’t. Martha’s conversation with Jesus gives the impression that she believed Jesus could raise Lazarus from the dead, but was a little afraid to hope in such an outrageous outcome. Jesus words of comfort and challenge to her have the same effect on us: “I am the resurrection and the life.” Jesus was refocusing Martha’s thinking about what might happen onto himself.
Martha’s hope—and ours as well—was not in the miracle, but in the miracle worker. She did not respond “Yes Lord, I know you can raise my brother from the dead.” She said, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” Our hope is in the person of Jesus Christ and on that truth we stand. Waiting and wondering can weaken our faith, but when we cling to what we know to be the truth of Jesus Christ, we are strengthened and renewed. With God, all things are possible, and through Jesus, Emmanuel, God is with us.
Prayer
Lord, keep my eyes on you as I wait for what you will reveal about my circumstances. I know you are worthy of my trust, even when I lose sight of what I am waiting for. I believe you are with me in the waiting and that is enough. Amen.
Clinging To The Truth | Devotionals | ALTAR Church
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