Jesus is Essential
John 11:17–22: So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 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.”
Martha seems always to be the aggressive type. She is the woman of action. She reveals a wonderful faith but also an impatience and a lack of bending to the will of God. By contrast, Mary is willing to sit at home. She has learned to sit at Jesus’ feet. We can see now that Martha should have been sitting at Jesus’ feet a little more.
She says, “I know that if You will ask God.” Martha, don’t you realize that He is God? He is God, manifest in the flesh. He has been in your home, sat at your table and has eaten your biscuits, but you didn’t realize that He was God, did you? Oh, my friend, how we need to spend time at His feet. How we need to listen. 1
Walking with Jesus
To have godly expectations, based on the character and nature of God, is a very good thing. What miraculous request have you brought to Jesus in prayer? Is His delay concerning you? Let your heart rejoice now, because He has heard and He will answer.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3–4
God has never once been late, but I have often been very impatient.
Praying
Lord, thank You for always hearing my requests, and faithfully ministering to my needs.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (John 11-21) (electronic ed., Vol. 39). Nashville.
