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?” John 11:25-26 (John 11)
There was a family of three, a brother and two sisters, who were very dear friends of Jesus, Lazarus, Mary and Martha. Mary once poured valuable oil on Jesus’ feet and dried it with her hair. Jesus and His disciples received word Lazarus was ill, but they delayed in going to Bethany. There were multiple death threats against Jesus, but two days later He decided it was time to go. Although the twelve reminded Him of the dangers of traveling, He went anyway. Thomas, the doubter, led the disciples by commenting, “If He dies, I’ll die too.” (What a great testimony of love and commitment.)
Lazarus died, leaving his sisters grief stricken. Just like today, friends gathered to comfort and help in anyway they could. When Jesus arrived Martha went to meet Him and declared her faith. Jesus told her death did not have the last word. She misunderstood, thinking He spoke of the Resurrection of souls. Jesus tenderly explained, “I am the Resurrection and THE Life.” Wait no longer! She then returned to tell Mary, who ran to His side and bowed at His feet again. She was distraught and Jesus wept. Then! He went to the tomb and rescued His friend from the grip of death.
Upon on hearing of Jesus’ latest miracle, the Sanhedrin decided Jesus had to go! Jesus knew His time was drawing near, (less than a month now) so He returned to the village of Ephraim and cloistered Himself with His closest followers.
The story of Jesus sharing emotionally in Mary and Martha’s heartache is one of the most beautiful in the Bible, but all who witnessed it play out misunderstood or misinterpreted Jesus’ actions, until a decaying corpse walked whole and hardy from the grave. Soon it would be Jesus lying lifeless in a cold, dark cave, but death, the final enemy, was already defeated.
While Jesus walked on earth He encountered people time and time again, looking for the very thing that stood before them. He explained, stop seeking, you have found Me, I am here. Like faithful Mary, we too let worry, fear, sorrow and anxiety hide the presence of Jesus. Our eternal life is today and we are called to LIVE, “On earth as it is in Heaven!”
Love,
Gretchen