Have you ever been caught saying one thing and doing another? That third cup of coffee you know is not good for you, but you go ahead and drink it. That person you know is not good for you, but one date couldn’t hurt. And every parent knows children are masters at calling you out when you say one thing and do another.
To speak is one thing, to act is another. Our actions reveal what we really believe, more so than mere words. Our sister, Martha, puts this on display as she continues to interact with Jesus.
Before the resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus said to Martha that her brother would rise again. She said, “Yeah, I know that he will rise again in the last day” (John 11:23–24, paraphrase). Jesus responded with, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25–26). Martha responded with, “Yes, Lord” (John 11:27).
Later in the story, when Jesus went to the tomb of Lazarus and asked the stone be moved to uncover the opening, Martha exclaimed, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days” (John 11:39). Jesus responded with, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40).
Martha said she believed Jesus, and Jesus said, “Watch me do what you say you believe.” She got to live what she believed, and Jesus was faithful to do what he said. How often does Jesus say to us, “Do you believe?”
Jesus invites us to live a life that is alive and resurrected. We say we believe it, and now we get to live it. After all, Jesus has brought us from death to life! As he did with Martha, Jesus graciously calls us to grow in faith and to live with hopeful expectation. Do we live as though we truly believe he is making all things new?
This resurrection and life are for all to receive. As Jesus called Martha to live out her faith and to trust him, others saw Jesus at work in Martha’s life. “Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him” (John 11:45). The community watched as Jesus loved this family, growled at death, talked to his Father in heaven, and used his power to bring life from death. And many believed.
When we make way for Jesus to show his love and resurrection power, others notice. As we grow in our belief in Jesus as the resurrection and life, we have the opportunity to continue to throw off our former life of death and live into his resurrection, power, and promises (Galatians 5:1). He has given us life and when we live it, others long to live as well. It is only by his resurrection power that we can do this.
God has invited me to live by faith as God brought me to the crossroads asking me to fully trust him, live by faith alone, and the next step in his plan. I have surrendered fully and allowing him full control has allowed others to see and hear about the works of God.
I think an area Jesus is reminding me to trust him is with the virus right now. There’s so much craziness going on that sometimes we can forget what’s right or to just believe God is going to get us through this. I have a hard time some days not just getting lost in the negativity of it all, but I know that isn’t helpful or healthy for me.
The fact that I can’t see tomorrow nor don’t know my future but I choose to believe God has it covered. I choose to live by faith. I make plans and pray. I pray because I know no prayer is ever in vain. Also when I am trusting God for things beyond me because I know as a Child of God I can ask for anything and God will give it to me. All Honour and glory go to God never to me nor any man. Amen
God is encouraging me to give him my daughter, and trust what he can do in her life that I cannot. Wanting to fix it and getting frustrated because I can’t, is not productive. Releasing her and her problems to the Lord and trusting he will do above and beyond all I could ask for and hope for!
God invites me to love my faith by sharing His love with others.
Jesus tells me to trust Him to fulfill what He has promised. He has good plans for me.
I’m grappling with physical changes in my body right now. I’m having a difficult time accepting them; I am obsessed with them. I feel like I may lose my marriage over them. Jesus is telling me to trust Him – He will not fail to work in my marriage; to help my husband and I remain as close as we’ve always been (we really are best friends). I don’t have to do anything except trust God. He didn’t bring me to this stage of life to drop me and watch me fall to defeat.
Jesus is telling me to trust him in the things that are beyond my control or what the future holds. I feel as if he is inviting me to be bold and courageous in doing the things he places in my heart regardless of how hard and impossible they might seem. It’s as if Jesus is encouraging me to live my life on the edge and trust that I won’t fall off because he has my back!
The lord is telling me to keep having faith as I take this teaching test and that all the other times weren’t the time but this is the time now! Trust the process
Just Jesus alone
He can do anything but fail
Jesus is asking me to trust him in general with my future. When situations arise, doubt, fear worry and anxiety try to creep in an keep me from focusing on his promises, but the word says he has plans to prosper me and not harm me, to give me an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11)!!
Lord thank you for the resurrection power in me and those in my community. I know the gifts you have given, lord, you have encouraged us to look beyond ourselves. Allow others to see You in me, so that You may be glorified in Jesus name. Amen