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, Lazarus, Mary and Martha, who were very dear friends of Jesus. 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 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 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 goes to meet Him and declares her faith. Jesus tells her death did not have the last word. She misunderstands, thinking He speaks of the Resurrection of souls. Jesus tenderly tells her, “I am the Resurrection and THE Life.” Wait no longer! She then returns to tell Mary, who runs to His side and bows at His feet again. She is distraught and Jesus weeps. Then! He goes to the tomb and rescues 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 encounter 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