Another Look at Martha! “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?” John 11:21-25 I have always been drawn to the dynamics of the relationship between Martha and Jesus. Martha was a perfect picture of the everyday Joe (or Jane) Christian. Remember she was the one busy doing for Jesus while her sister Mary chose what Jesus Himself called...the BETTER part. As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called MARY, WHO SAT AT THE LORDS FEET LISTENING TO WHAT HE SAID. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the WORK by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only One. Mary has chosen what is BETTER, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 Martha was always busy with the preparations for what was to come, but her sister Mary lived life IN the NOW moment, loving the I AM of her life, and so choosing the BETTER part. What really caught my attention IN the above passage was the stark contrast from what Martha was DOING as opposed to how Jesus was just being. Jesus gave them this answer: Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. John 5:19 What Martha said to Jesus was pretty much the same as most American Christians today, and so to paraphrase the conversation between Martha and Jesus; Lord, I am so looking forward to a future day when I will finally have the chance to really know you. You know Lord, that wonderful time after the “rapture” which will finally usher IN the second coming? Until then I will do all I can do FOR you so I know you will never be disappointed IN me. Because its everyday common “Christian” knowledge, that IN order to receive our “someday blessing” we have to keep working hard for it.” Jesus was asking, Martha, do you think it’s possible for you to look beyond all of the religious speak of the day and simply believe Me? Is it possible your sister who has chosen her appointed place of Rest, KNOWS that I AM also the One true desire of your heart? And not only that, but Is it possible that you can enter into my own death, burial, and resurrection, so that you can see yourself as a NEW creation...right here and NOW?” Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a...Tree of Life.; I Proverbs 13:12 If Martha only really knew the One who was standing before her was the Tree Of Life, she would have dropped everything she was doing and joined her sister who was resting at His feet. And if the story of Martha isnt a perfect picture of todays normal Christian, whose focus is always on their future (deferred) Hope and what they can do for God, then what is? For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did Rest the seventh day from a His WORKS. And IN this place again, they shall enter into my REST. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some MUST enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not iN because of unbelief: Again, He limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them REST, then would He not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a REST For the people of God. For he (or she) that is entered into HIs REST, he also hath ceased from his own WORKS, as God did from His. Hebrews 4:4-10
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 09:52:18 +0000
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