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Martha and the Resurrection of Lazarus

John 11: 20-27 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet he shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world." (ESV)

In this second story of Mary and Martha that I selected for our study, the focus is on Martha. (For more on Mary in this scenario, read the verses after 27). The reason that Martha's actions here are important is because she has changed. This time, as soon as she hears that Jesus is coming, she comes running to find him. She doesn't run to prep the house for company, or cook a meal for the thirteen men that are coming to her house. She goes directly to Jesus. Likewise, when we need Jesus we should run directly to him.
Sometimes, tough things can create these monumental changes in our lives. Just before this passage, Martha has lost her brother Lazarus. As a woman in Jewish culture of the time, that would have left her and her sister very poor and hopeless. Martha doesn't try to make her life look perfect here because she has realized that she can't do that. Sometimes, our circumstances knock sense into us and show us that no matter how good of an actress we are, we can't pretend away our problems.
Finally, Jesus' words here give hope to all of us. He comes to give life: life that will last forever, in a perfect place. All we have to do to get it is believe in him. So, today, will you believe him and accept his gift? I'm praying that you will.
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