Enneagram, StrengthsFinder, Myers-Briggs, DISC, or any other personality or motivational assessment will tell you we’re are all so very different. Not only are we different within, we have experiences that have shaped us, skills we have developed, and years of life that have taught us. Some of us are question askers, others of us are storytellers. Some of us dig for detail while others want the big picture of where we are going. Our uniqueness does not stop with our relationship with God. We bring it with us to Jesus as well.
Mary and Martha were different sisters—same family, very different women. And Jesus welcomed their uniqueness as they processed the death of their brother, their disappointment with Jesus, and what was to come.
They exclaimed the same truth to Jesus (John 11:21, 32) yet followed it with different actions. Martha shared words, questions, and dialogue. Mary brought her tears and fell down before Jesus. Jesus responded to these sisters exactly where they were.
jesus met them
Martha came with her words, thoughts, and questions. Jesus dialogued with Martha about theology, faith, and resurrection. Their interaction led Martha to make a statement of faith, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” (John 11:27). Before the resurrection of Lazarus, Martha again had an opportunity to affirm her faith (John 11:39–40).
Mary came full-body, with tears. Her release of grief and confusion was both emotional and physical. Jesus met her with his own tears… Jesus met her with his own tears as well as his anger at death itself (John 11:35, 38). The release of his own tears, his anger, and his emotions led the surrounding community to exclaim, “See how he loved him!” (John 11:36).
staying with jesus
Throughout the story you can’t help but wonder, why didn’t Jesus just heal Lazarus? Why did he wait for both the women to express their disappointment? Why did he linger?
He previously indicated that this all was bigger than what was happening in the present. He talked about resurrection and life and belief and glory, but why not go ahead and show Martha his power right away, or dry Mary’s tears right away (John 11:4, 15, 42)? Why did he let them grieve? Why did he himself grieve?
Truly, the ways of God are a mystery, and this mystery does not always bring us comfort. Yet, the invitation we see in this story is that God is a God who enters our story and stays there. God is a God who is willing to hear our questions, to wrestle with us, to patiently care for us. God is a God who is willing to feel the depth of emotion, anger at death, and sadness at loss. He is a God who is with us. And this God invites us to stay with him in our disappointments, our questions, our tears, and whatever we uniquely bring.
So many times…yet I have come to learn when God seems quiet or unmoved, he is still working behind the scenes. It’s just that as a human, when in the storms or in the process we don’t see that nor can we understand that so it hurts like crazy. Indeed God’s ways are not our ways. It’s never about us but about him. We can comfort ourselves knowing no matter what he is always in control and knows best and that it is in the process or waiting that we learn and grow because in everything, it must be to honor and glorify God. Amen.
Jesus has promised me a husband. I have waited for ten years now without the fulfillment of this promise, yet God stayed with me. He has not spoken anything cancelling this promise nor has He moved on my behalf in any way I can see. Yet, He stayed with me.
And, He is still God and He is still GOOD!
I once thought there was an area God was quiet about and refusing to move. My son is a recovering alcoholic. He was abused by a church leader – the worship leader at a church we attended. Instead of telling us what happened our son tried to drown his shame, confusion, and disappointment in alcohol. We prayed and saught God’s help for 15 years, until finally our son saught help at a Christian recovery program for substance abuse. There he found a relationship with God again and we got our beautiful son back. Through those 15 years sometimes I was all attitude like Martha (WHY God). Sometimes I was like Mary. I beat myself up for not being a good enough parent (it’s always the mother’s fault). In hind sight I now see that God was always at work in this situation. He protected our son when he disappeared for days, He comforted our family when we didn’t understand, He calmed our anger when we found out the truth, He loved us through it all. At the end of the story the witness our son has become to our community is a bold testimony to the heal power of God.
I know he wants to stay with me at a times, I. All decisions I make and in all circumstances. As I stated on yesterday’s post, I’ve recently had to disconnect myself from a ministry I’d been apart of the last three years. I’ve been praying for direction on next steps and haven’t heard any specifics yet. I will confine to pray I am led to place of believers who desire to worship him wholeheartedly!
I believe God desires us to forgive our enemy, as well as, those whom we love, who hurt us. In addition, we must remember that forgiveness also applies to oneself. We must come to a place to seek forgiveness for our own actions actions ourselves and others.
While we access our ability to do this fully and relentlessly, God is with us patiently observing to our full submission to His word.
Although God walks with me daily, The area where God is quiet is on my long term future.
In my life, I feel like God has been quiet and unmoving on which direction I should go in my career ,romantic life etc. Sometimes I hear a voice to put in the work that aligns with him, and avoid shortcuts of the enemy but somehow I am having trouble with discerning whether or not it is aligned with his calling or plan for me.
Jesus wants to stay with me when I invite Him in. He desires to be near me. He was ya to hold me when I feel unappreciated, when I need love and affection. He wants to be my comfort.
I am trusting Him with my daughter’s life. With the direction He will lead her.
I have seen lots of delay as I push forward to get a job. How does God want to stay with me? He wants me to trust Him wholeheartedly…but he’s ok with me asking him questions. Is it soon Lord? How do I spend my time while I wait?
This whole lesson today has just been like a refreshing rain. And I am soaking (with tears) in the promise that He is right here with me, holding my places of confusion, weariness, hurt, grief, and anxiousness. Hard to confess, healing to stay in His always holding-on. ♥️
Sometimes I ask myself what do I do next God, where am I going but reading this passage and knowing that Jesus stayed with the sisters gives me motivation and clarity to know that He is with me all the time!