Choose Wisely

 

11/6/2020

John 11:26 “Believest thou this?”

Today, Chambers talks about how Martha believed that Jesus had an intimacy with God, but that Jesus educated her into developing belief as a personal possession. This led into an inheritance. Her family had become friends with Jesus. The Bible tells us that they even hosted him in there home. When Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus, became gravely ill, they sent for Jesus, but He did not come in time.  After her brother had died and was laid to rest, Jesus finally came. Martha greeted Jesus with understanding and faith. She knew that if He had been there, her bother would have lived, for Jesus would have asked God to heal him. She could not have possibly known the miraculous event that was going to take place, although within it lay the personal development of her faith in Jesus as the Messiah. 

John 11:21-27 “‘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 whosoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ ‘Yes, Lord’ she replied, ‘I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’”

She was experiencing the Old Testament prophecy come to fruition. She had been in the presence of the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He was not just her Lord, but also her friend. Can you even imagine having this conversation? When Jesus had visited their home, Martha was not the sister that had sat at Jesus’ feet, soaking in every word He spoke. She was the doer. There was nothing wrong with her focus on serving Jesus, but her sister had chosen wisely when she paused in her duties to listen to Jesus. Martha wanted Jesus to scold Mary, but He did not, for He knew it was her soul that was being nourished as she listened at His feet.  

Now, she was in the presence of Jesus again as she grieved for her brother. This time it was Martha who went to greet Him, and was given a moment to speak with Him alone. This was her time, and she chose wisely, proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah. He had come not just for Lazarus, but for her as well. He proclaimed to be the resurrection and the life and asked Martha, “Do you believe this?” And she proclaimed Him as the Messiah by responding “Yes, Lord.” She was no longer distracted, no longer too busy to focus on Jesus. Her belief was now a personal and intimate one indeed, even before she had experienced Jesu raising her brother from the dead. Amazing grace.

Chambers asks, “Have you come, like Martha, to some overwhelming passage in your circumstances where your program of belief is about to emerge into a personal belief? This can never be until a personal need arises out of a personal problem.” The depth of truth in these words amazes me, and I fully agree. It is when I go through profound trials that my faith grows and becomes more intensely personal. When I reach the place where I am calling out to Jesus, because circumstances bring me to the end of myself, it is then that my faith become intensely personal. I am not focused on anyone or anything but Jesus. He alone is my deliverer.