The End Hope is For Now
There are some circumstances of life that warrant no happiness and no fulfillment, but that does not mean that in the midst of these we cannot be happy or filled. Remember Mary, Martha, and Lazarus? They were close friends of Jesus who went through trying times.
Mary and Martha had lost their brother. He was not only a close friend, but also a stable rock for them to cling to. And then he died, leaving them alone. When Jesus came to see the sisters, He knew before He arrived that Lazarus had died. (John 11:11-14) When Martha heard that Jesus had come, she went out to Him and said, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." (vs 21-22)
We see a glimpse of Martha's faith as she speaks to Jesus here in this passage. She spoke of the past by saying she knew Jesus could have healed her sick brother before he died, and she spoke of the future by saying that she knew God could work good out of the heartache she felt.
I like how Jesus replies right away, and His reply comes with a promise: "Thy brother shall rise again." (vs 23)
Sometimes we hear the reply to our cries, but fail to see the affect it should have on us now. We can be so focused on the future resolution that we don't see the hope we are given now. We pull a Martha.
Her reply to Christ is similar to many of our responses today. She tells Him, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." (vs 24) Martha says what she knows to be true, that in the end everything will be okay, but also I can hear the sadness of her tone as she speaks because she has to live through the heartache of now. She sees the hope of the future, but her present is far from peaceful and fulfilling.
There are times when we are faced with similar struggles. We have the head knowledge that the trial we are enduring will have an outcome where God will heal the hurts and ease the pain. But like Martha wondered, what about now? How do I live in this moment when the future is blurry and uncertain?
Let's look at Jesus' response to Martha and see what He told her in her time of need. He says, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (vs 25-26)
Martha didn't know Jesus planned on raising Lazarus from the dead. She didn't know that instead of the future hope of seeing her brother in heaven she would soon be giving him the biggest hug he had ever received!
You see, even though there is hope for tomorrow, and even though the end result sometimes becomes our only light, there is joy and fulfillment for today offered to us by God Himself! Just because our ending isn't here yet doesn't mean we are asked to live without peace. Jesus is our resurrection and life right now. He is with us right now. He offers fulfillment right now. His question to us is, "Believest thou this?"
Do you believe that He can and will fill you with what you need at this moment, during this trial? Do you believe He is able to give you abundant and overflowing peace and joy in the midst of your circumstances? Go back a few paragraphs and reread verses 25 and 26. Jesus is saying that those who believe He is all He says He is will have life. This life is not just a starting or an ending point. It's not just the moment of salvation or the eternal future we have with Him. It is the daily moments of life. We must choose to believe that He is our life now. That He is all we need now. That He offers us joy, hope, and peace now.
Since we are human, we tend to become trapped in the same pitfalls. Are we like Martha, who even after she heard Christ's response, still had a hard time seeing the peace and fullness of the moment? Jesus tells the men to roll the stone away from the grave, and Martha, stuck in the unbelief of hope for today, says, "Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days." (vs 39)
Christ gently reminds her of His power. "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" (vs 40)
What is required of Martha at this point? What deeds did she have to do to see the magnificence of God's mighty hand? What attitude did she have to display in order to know the power of God? None. She merely had to believe.
This is all that is asked of us as well. We need to believe that God has the best outcome to our problems, and that His life for us now is indeed just that -- life! Not a life of dreading how we will make it though the day or wondering if there will ever be peace again, but an abundant life through believing in God's power for us now.
Do you think we can do this? Will we be able to put to rest our anxiety and embrace the gift of life we have been given now? God knows that at times it can be hard for us to lay aside the fear we have today in exchange for His peace, and that is why He reminds us to believe in Him and His promises!
Remember, we don't have to do this alone, we have help from within. Discover some of the promises in God's Word that will give you blessing and hope for today, and then live in that hope!
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called, according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." (Isaiah 4:3)
~Tiffany~
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