“It has been weeks, and our brother is still ill,” Martha said dejectedly, “I don’t think he has a chance.”

“Martha, don’t give up hope!  The Teacher will heal him.  I just know it,” Mary replied.

        That day, Mary sent word to the Jesus, the Teacher, that their brother was ill.  He told them that the illness would not lead to death and that he would be glorified through it.  A few days later,  the word reached him that Mary and Martha’s brother had died.  When Jesus reached their town, he learned that Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus, had already been in the tomb for four days.  At this time, many of Mary and Martha’s friends were at their house comforting them during their time of grieving.  The two sisters had been very close to Lazarus and were absolutely devastated.  Pain swept over Mary’s heart.

She was having such a hard time with the tragic loss that she had not left the house for days and she was continually weeping.    Many of her closest friends tried to comfort her, but she could not be consoled. In Martha’s heart, hopelessness had sprung up.  She kept asking herself questions like, “What if the Teacher’s teachings were all a lie?”  “What do I have to believe and hope for now?”  Martha heard that Jesus was coming, so she went to meet him outside of her house.

She said, “Lord, if you had been there, my brother would not have died.  However, I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give to you.”

Jesus stated, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha nodded her head and replied, “Yes, I know he will rise again in resurrection on the last day.”

Jesus smiled and took her hands in his.  He gently and quietly declared, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet he shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in me with never die.  Do you believe this, Martha?”

As she looked into His fatherly, loving eyes, without hesitation she said, “Yes, Lord.  I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into this world.”  At last Martha had something to hope and believe in.  She had something to stand firm on.  When Martha confessed that Jesus was the Christ, hopelessness fled her heart and joy and hope settled in.

Right after she said this, she went to Mary and told her, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”  Mary immediately rose and went to Jesus.  As soon as she saw him, she fell at his feet sobbing.

She tearfully said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  Jesus felt her pain so deeply he began to weep too.  Jesus wept for her pain, and he also wept for the lack of faith that she and Martha had.  He raised Mary to her feet and held her in his arms until her tears were quieted.

Jesus softly asked her, “Where did they lay your brother?”  Mary led him to the tomb.  He asked Martha to remove the stone, but she protested saying that there would be an odor since he had been in the tomb for four days now.

Jesus shook his head and said, “Martha, did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”  After he said this, the stone was rolled away.  He thanked his Father for hearing him and then loudly shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” Then, Lazarus miraculously walked out of his tomb.  Mary and Martha began to cry tears of joy and gladness as they hugged their brother and thanked Jesus for raising their brother from the dead.

So, what’s the point?  Jesus wants us.  He wants us to believe in Him, and He wants us to be a part of Him.  Jesus is our Father and He hurts when we hurt.  When He saw the pain that Mary and Martha were experiencing, He showered them with His love and wept with them.  I just want to invite you, reader, to allow yourself to be wanted.  Don’t run away from His love.  His love is the safest place you can be.