We come to a family in crises, and it seems as though Jesus took His time to arrive and help.
So it seems...
The verse says, "Now Martha says to Jesus, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." What piercing words! Words that probably had so much emotion that it would have pierced the heart of the one who heard them.
How many times have we said to the Lord, "Where were you? Why didn't you help me when I needed you?"
However, from what is read in the next few verses translates how Martha loved and respected Jesus. Somehow, I sense she felt that Jesus would ease the family's pain. She recovers by saying, "But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give You." Herself not knowing what was going to happen in moments following this conversation, but knew in her heart that He would not fail her.
I believe there are times when the Lord waits for all the commotion to die down, so it is not confused to be part of God's working. The Lord wants single billing, it is His Glory that will work within our lives, not as an outcome of what we have done.
Martha ran to Jesus with her hurt. Sometimes we need to be in a place where we need to run to Jesus, leaving the comfort of what we know, our traditions, our beliefs, etc. Run to Him and pour it all out! He wants our attention!
"Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again." Martha's next words are what she knows to be true..."Martha said to Him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." How many times do we tell someone, "Yes, I know God will supply our needs." Or, "When a door closes a window opens." What does that really mean? I don't want a window to open, I want a flood gate to burst open for me when I am in need!
We limit God within our limits. But Praise the Lord that He doesn't hold that against us, He knows how limited we are and some of the things we say don't always make sense. I Praise Him that in those times in my life, He ignores my stupidity and does His Mighty work!
In the conversation that follows, Jesus gets a commitment from the heart. He lays it all out to Martha, who He is and why He came to this world. He asks her at the end of His manifesto, "Do you believe this?"
We have to come to a point where we need to commit what we don't have in control, to Him. Then we can see the Glory of the Lord. We need to look away from our frailties and look to Him the Author and finisher of our faith. The Lord knows we are frail, this is why we need to allow Him to work in us!
As Martha proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God who is to come into the world. We need to recognize Him for who He is, focus on what the Word says about Him!
In the verses that follow, we see the same response from Mary to Jesus..."If You had been here..."
Jesus' timing was perfect. He waited because there was a greater purpose. The locals had seen that Jesus could heal the sick, but so could their doctors, etc. However, no one had ever done what He was going to do next. It had to be clear to the audience that this next miracle was from God, not from anything anyone had done that day.
We read how Jesus has them remove the stone. Martha retreats to her old self, worried about the stench of the dead body that has been in that tomb for four days! How many times have we believed that nothing good could happen to us, we feel it is too late.
Jesus does the incredible, impossible, outstanding, wonderful! He calls out to Lazarus! Lazarus comes back to life!
Don't worry if you feel as though you have limited Him. He knows how weak we are and won't hold it against us. All we need to do is believe that He is our Lord. Don't try and figure out how Jesus is going to come through, He will do the rest.
In the Book of Revelation, it says that He is Faithful and True. That is what I cling to in my heart, regardless of what my mind says. Here are reasons why it is important to read the Word; it covers your heart, builds faith, and changes your perspective. It defines who Jesus is and in my own experience, I can hear His voice on those printed pages.
God is good and He is always on time! Wait and see how God will bless the next chapter of your life!
No comments:
Post a Comment