Resurrection Faith: Hebrews 11:35 WomenSample

Martha, Jesus' Friend

Jesus, again deeply moved within [to the point of anger], approached the tomb. It was a cave, and a boulder was lying against it [to cover the entrance]. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be an offensive odor, for he has been dead four days! [It is hopeless!]” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe [in Me], you will see the glory of God [the expression of His excellence]?” John 11:38-40 (AMP)

If you believe, you will see the glory of God. Although it took Martha a while to believe, she ultimately put her faith in Jesus, the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). She overcame hopelessness, the thought that a decayed human body cannot experience resurrection. Martha overcame unbelief, an enemy of faith (Hebrews 3:12; Mark 9:23-24).

I imagine that the compassion of Jesus, His tears, and righteous indignation against the power of death (John 11:35, 38) empowered Martha to yield to the God of all possibilities. Faith which works by love (Galatians 5:6) enabled Martha to say yes to rolling away the stone standing in the way of her miracle. The proof of Martha’s love was obedience (John 14:15), agreeing with the command “take away the stone.”

When we begin to understand God’s love for us, we grow deeper in love with God (1 John 4:19; Ephesians 3:19). As we grow in love with God, which involves meditating on the Bible, God’s love letters, we go from faith to faith and surrender all to God (Romans 1:17).

Like Paul, I urge you to “let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:7)

May your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. (Ephesians 2:17-19)