When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:20-27
I’m writing these blogs because of the revelation that I’ve received lately about Mary and Martha. I’m not a bible scholar and am keenly aware that there is so much more to this than what I am laying out here or have even comprehended. Where I have always identified with Martha and even resented Mary, Jesus has been inviting me into and taking me into a place like Mary. Martha seemed to have a gift of hospitality and service. Mary is shown three times (Luke 10:38-42, John 11:20-44, John 12:1-3) in scripture in some form of worship or at least surrender. I know so very well that in the surrendered-heart, service can be a form of worship. Martha had faith and seemed to honor God with her life. In this passage, I’m struck by the event of Martha and Mary’s brother’s death. Lazarus had been dead four days and they were grieving. They were likely even angry at Jesus because He was their friend, who they believed was the Son of God that had already performed so many miracles and he had not been there to heal their brother. They even sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” (John 11:3) How many times in our life has tragedy struck and we say this same thing to God? “If you had been here…”
Twice in this story, in John 11:33 and 38, it says Jesus was angry and deeply moved. “He wept” noticeably enough that the Jews saw. Some commentaries say this was because he was angry at the effects of sin and death in the world. Jesus was all human and Scripture says that He only does what He sees His Father doing (John 5:19). God the Father is moved by the things that wound us. He is not cold or indifferent but LOVE embodied.
We know how this story ends. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and he was loosed from his death shroud. Many saw what Jesus did and believed but others went and tattled to the Pharisees. In our own personal story, death happens. Dreams do not become reality, our loved-ones pass on, and countless varying-degrees of heartbreaks in between. Sometimes God heals and raises and sometimes He does not. I heard someone say recently that “miracles are not a report card on your faith.” There are lots of scriptures on how to handle our inevitable trials but my favorite is, “All things work together for the good of those who love God (Romans 8:28.)” Romans 8 also tells us that we have Holy Spirit as the firstfruits (of Heaven) and that “the Spirit joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for…the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.” Romans 8:26 We have The Comforter always with us.
Pray this scripture with me over yourself: “Father God, thank you that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate me from Your love, God, that is in Jesus Christ MY Lord! God, help me to feel Your heart for me and Your Comforter in this time of trials. Amen.” Romans 8:38-39