Yes Lord, I Believe

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’ When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, ‘The Teacher is here and is calling for you.’ And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. John 11:17-29

Martha declares before many of his disciples could, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Martha has a reputation for putting tasks above relationships and learning, but when it counts, Martha's got it all going on. Her voice is authentic, she works hard, and cares for everyone. She is salt of the earth, a hard-working mother who fed everyone who came under her roof. Let us all be a bit more like Martha today. Firm in our belief, always running to Jesus and caring for the most vulnerable around us.

Wondrous Creator, you give us all good gifts and voices

some to be in the light, some to work behind the scenes

all of us together to proclaim your love for the world.

We fight for attention from our birth, crying for affection

battling as adults for power, prestige and great wealth

although none of us have been given those dangerous gifts.

Let us be like Martha today and every day, speaking truth

laboring behind the scenes for the good of all our neighbors

and always running towards Jesus to know healing and new life. Amen.