John 11:13-22: a reflection

13Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep. 14So Jesus said to them plainly then, “Lazarus is dead. 15I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let’s go to him.” 16Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s also go, that we may die with him.” 17So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already. 18Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away. 19Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. 20Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house. 21Therefore Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”

When Jesus finally comes to Bethany, Lazarus has been dead four days, and Martha meets him with words that mix grief, a gentle reproach, and a stubborn faith. Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died, she says, grieving that Jesus had not come in time. Yet in the same breath she adds a remarkable confession of trust: Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you. Her grief was real, and her disappointment with the timing; yet even now, even after Lazarus had died and it seemed too late, Martha held onto her faith in Jesus, trusting him still, even in her grief and disappointment.

Notice Martha's faith held even in grief and disappointment. She did not hide her grief or her disappointment with Jesus's timing; she said plainly that if he had come, her brother would not have died. Yet she did not let her grief and disappointment destroy her faith; even now, she said, I know God will give you whatever you ask. Her faith held onto Jesus even after the death, even after the timing had disappointed her, even when it seemed too late. She trusted him still, in the midst of her grief, her faith and her grief coexisting. Even now, she clung to trust in Jesus, though the circumstances seemed to have defeated her hope. Her faith did not require that everything go as she wished; it held even in disappointment.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can hold onto faith in Christ even in grief and disappointment. When we grieve, when Christ's timing disappoints us, when things have not gone as we hoped and it seems too late, we can let our grief and disappointment destroy our faith; but Martha held onto her trust in Jesus even then, saying, even now I know. Faith can coexist with grief, can hold even when the timing disappoints us. When you grieve and are disappointed with how things have gone, do not let it destroy your faith; hold onto Christ, as Martha said, even now I know. Hold onto your faith in Christ even in grief and disappointment, trusting him still when his timing has disappointed you and it seems too late, as Martha said even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you; for faith can hold even in grief, coexisting with our disappointment, and we can trust Christ still even when things have not gone as we hoped.

Lord Jesus, when you finally come to Bethany, Lazarus has been dead four days, and Martha meets you with words that mix grief, a gentle reproach, and a stubborn faith. Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died, she says, grieving that you had not come in time. Yet in the same breath she adds a remarkable confession of trust: even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you. Her grief was real, and her disappointment with the timing; yet even now, even after Lazarus had died and it seemed too late, Martha held onto her faith in you. Show me Martha's faith held even in grief and disappointment. She did not hide her grief or her disappointment with your timing; she said plainly that if you had come, her brother would not have died. Yet she did not let her grief and disappointment destroy her faith; even now, she said, I know God will give you whatever you ask. Her faith held onto you even after the death, even when it seemed too late. She trusted you still, in the midst of her grief. Even now, she clung to trust in you. Her faith did not require that everything go as she wished. Take that to my heart, for I too can hold onto faith in you even in grief and disappointment. When I grieve, when your timing disappoints me, when things have not gone as I hoped and it seems too late, I can let my grief and disappointment destroy my faith; but Martha held onto her trust in you even then. Faith can coexist with grief. When I grieve and am disappointed with how things have gone, keep me from letting it destroy my faith; help me hold onto you, Lord, as Martha said, even now I know.