Martha

          On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
                “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?”
               “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (John 11:17-27)

          When Jesus arrived at Bethany, the first person who goes out to
Him was Martha. This makes sense. It would have been proper. She was now the head of the household. She is also the same woman who got scolded by Jesus because she was more caught up in focusing on His visit than on His Words. Tre to her nature, she’s doing her duty.
         I’ve been there and done that. The morning after my mother died, I was up and out of the house before Dad woke up. My sister’s family was coming: eight people including a toddler. We needed food. We would need tissues. We would need…. When I got home, Dad scolded me because I wasn’t there when he got up and he hadn’t known where I went. At the memorial service, I remember handing out the packs of tissues. I don’t remember whether I cried or not. I just remember thinking I had to be strong, to step up and take care of … everything. I was probably as big a mess as anyone else, but that’s the way I remember it. And after the funeral, I had to get right back into my life because otherwise I’d never get back into my life, or so I thought.
         In today’s passage, I also see the struggle for faith. She’s sad because her brother is dead, and I think she’s angry, and I think she shares that anger. “If you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” It’s Your fault Jesus. “But I know that even now, God will give You whatever You ask.” Is there hope in there? Or is it still anger? God would do what He asked, so what was He going to ask for? What was He going to do about the situation? Not meaning to be rude, Jesus, but the stage is Yours, stop dawdling and do Your thing. She knew God would do what He asked. She knew what He could ask, what she wanted Him to ask, but would He?
         He doesn’t ask. He doesn’t give orders. He tells her Lazarus will rise again. Do you hear the exasperation, or the incredulity, or the agonized patience in her response? “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Yes, Jesus, we all know in the end we stand before God and are judged, and some are get Heaven, and some get Hell. We learned that in synagogue as kids. I’m talking about now.
         I can relate to her here, too. I know God can solve my problems, meet my needs. Of course, He can. He’s God. But will He? He says He will, but instead of issuing orders, I wait. Of course, all those problems will be solved when I’m dead and standing before Him. None of them will matter in the least, but what about now?
          And Jesus’ answer kills all the lights on that stage she put Him on except the ones on Him. He doesn’t have the answer, He is the answer. That’s what I need to keep remembering.