Reacting Differently

Lazarus, the much loved brother of Mary and Martha, had been dead for four days. Although they had sent a message saying that Lazarus was very unwell, Jesus did not come. Soon after, the sick man died. Then, after Jesus had intentionally delayed His journey by two days, the disciples accompanied the Lord to the little village of Bethany outside Jerusalem. The funeral had taken place, the tomb had been sealed and now the devastated sisters were mourning their loss.
 
When someone told the women that Jesus was on His way, how did they feel about Him? After all, they had told Jesus about the illness, and the messenger would certainly have reported that Jesus knew; but He did nothing. The sisters had mixed emotions, and they were uncertain of their relationship with Jesus. When He approached the village, only one of the sisters went out to greet Him. Martha, the more extrovert of the two, expressed her frustration because she believed that Jesus' absence was the ultimate cause of Lazarus' death. Yet, she also expressed faith, claiming that Jesus was stronger than death. If He wanted to help them, He could still do a miracle. But Mary could not bear to see Jesus. She stayed at home, grief-stricken, confused and feeling rejected.
 
Although God always knows what He is doing, and always does what is right, it is sometimes hard to believe when we see no sign of His activity. Because we do not know the future, we cannot see how God will weave the dark circumstances of life into something glorious. Some people falsely think that God is not interested in them, or has abandoned them. But God's purposes are much bigger than our immediate circumstances. He will use them to minister truth and love to us and to others: our family, friends and colleagues at work. He knows exactly how He will satisfy our needs, and also speak into many other lives as well. So, whatever the circumstances, do not blame the Lord or resent His apparent inactivity. Instead, believe that He is at work and has the power to do anything to meet our needs and reveal His glory to those around us through our difficult circumstances.