I wonder if, like me, you often find yourself struck afresh by a familiar Scripture verse with a truth of God which, though long received as truth in your soul, shines in that instance that much brighter. The light and life of the word of God sent as an unlooked for yet most precious gift, teaches our souls afresh that God knows what we have need of – and His timings are perfect.
In my Scripture reading passage of John 11:1-27 recently, I found myself so struck by Martha’s faith, seeing it afresh especially at verses 21-22 and in particular the words underlined:
‘Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”’
It crossed my mind – maybe for the first time – that it was as though Martha in saying the above was saying ‘even though You were not here to prevent my brother from dying, I still believe in You, trust in You, hope in You.’
Clearly she believed in Lord Yeshua as verse 27 shows: ‘She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”’ But when Lord Yeshua came to raise Lazarus, her brother, from the dead and therefore told the people standing at Lazarus’ burial cave to remove the entrance stone, I couldn’t help but note verses 39-40 more closely. Those verses say this: ‘Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”’
Even though the message she and Mary had sent to Yeshua when Lazarus was gravely ill perhaps had not brought the hoped for response and Lazarus had died, and, being unaware of what Yeshua had said beforehand recorded at John 11:4 – Martha’s faith in Yeshua trusted Him and in Him.
The old truth quickened afresh in my soul was simply this:
Faith trusts – and that trust is in the character of Almighty God our heavenly Father revealed in Yeshua the Messiah His Son through the Holy Spirit by His word.
Because of this
Faith trusts – even before it sees.
Martha did not know that her brother would be literally raised from the dead by Yeshua as a sign to all those present that He, Yeshua, is the Son of God, that they might believe to the saving of their souls. God had a purpose in it all which Martha couldn’t have known and did not see.
Truly, faith trusts – even before it sees.
As I wrote that last sentence again, I was reminded of the Scripture at John 20:29: ‘ Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Belief and trust – the twins of faith. Praise belongs to God who comforts us in His patient instructions through His word and by His Spirit again and again as we seek His righteous and truth.
May the peace of God flood your whole soul as you trust in Lord Yeshua, the Son of the living God.
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