Gospel of John Student Devotionalනියැදිය

One of the most beautiful parts of being a Christian is seeing how faithful God truly is. Even though the glimpses we get on Earth seem minuscule, they give us a little sneak peek into God’s full glory. It is so overwhelming and awe-inspiring to see what He can do! Think of a moment like this for you. Was it an answered prayer? Was it a miracle before your eyes? Was it a moment where your hope was restored? For two sisters in Bethany, it was all of the above.

In John 11, we get a look at the restorative power of Jesus. The scene is set in Bethany, where sisters Mary and Martha are mourning the loss of their brother, Lazarus. By the time Jesus had heard of the tragedy in Jerusalem, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Because Jerusalem and Bethany were within a couple of miles of each other, Martha hurried out to meet Jesus. Verses 20 through 22 read: “When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed home. ‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

I find these verses particularly beautiful because of the strength of her faith. Even in the midst of a heartbreaking tragedy, she turned to the Lord. She ran to Jesus, even when her sister stayed behind. She had complete confidence in the redemptive power of God, and that whatever Jesus says is true. In verse 27, she says, “‘Yes, Lord…I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’” After this conversation, Martha returns to her sister and tells her to come out, as Jesus wants to see her. When Jesus sees the hurt they are enduring, He asks, “‘Where have you laid him?’” And the two replied, “‘Come and see, Lord’” (verse 34). This response by the girls is something we should all admire. They invited God into their hurt, into their suffering, and trusted Him to redeem. Rather than closing themselves off with resentment or anger, they were open and vulnerable with the Lord. And, what He did with this vulnerability changed their lives: Lazarus was raised from the dead.

This world is full of hurt and pain. It can be so easy to get stuck in resentment or anger when we suffer. But, when we hit rock bottom, it can be the perfect opportunity to invite God into our lives. He wants so badly to take on our burdens and help us through our struggles. And, when we let Him in, He can redeem any situation. Our God is a redemptive God. What we think is the end is often the beginning of something more beautiful than we can comprehend.