In the eleventh chapter of John is the miraculous story of Lazarus being raised from the dead. There is so much in this beautiful story as Jesus portrays Himself as the Resurrection and the Life; one of the seven I AM statements.
When you look deep into this story, you view lessons of: patience, trust, belief, and ultimately glorification. Recently, while reading this portion of scripture, the reaction of Martha and Mary greatly influenced me.
Martha, the first to greet Jesus outside of Bethany, welcomed Him. She believed that, “whatever Jesus asked of God, God would give Him” (John 11:22). After Martha conversed with Jesus, she secretly went to Mary, saying, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you” (John 11:28). This is the portion that challenged me. . . “And when Mary heard this, she got up quickly and was coming to Him” (John 11:29).
She got up quickly!
Without delay, Mary was off to meet Jesus. She didn’t ask any questions. She didn’t consult with the others present. Without any elaboration, she left where she was rapid-fire and when she saw Jesus, she fell at His feet (John 11:32). Why? Because Mary had a relationship with Jesus. One of friendship, respect, and love. Simply, she knew the Master and Jesus loved her, Martha and Lazarus (John 11:5).
Are you and I this quick to respond to Jesus when He calls us?
To many times we allow outside distractions to cloud our thinking or we overthink a situation. When instead Jesus just wants to be your all-in-all. He wants your knee-jerk reaction to be focused on Him.
What does it look like to get up quickly?
- When the alarm goes off in the morning—how fast are you to jump out of bed and meet with Jesus in the stillness of the hour?
- Is He the first person you turn to in time of need or is He an afterthought?
- Is prayer a daily occurrence or a lost devotion?
Giving Jesus all of you will change your response. It will direct your thinking toward what Jesus wants and not so much what your flesh craves. Keeping Him at the forefront of your mind and life will influence your thoughts, reactions, and attitudes.
Following Mary’s meeting with Jesus. . . What came next in this story?
“The Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her. . .” (John 11:31).
Mary’s response impacted those near her and they followed.
The way you and I react to God’s call on our lives will influence those around us as well. If your walk points to a life committed to following Jesus no matter the cost, others will notice. Others will follow. Others will be drawn to Jesus through your passionate response to His presence in your life.
Dear friend, continue to seek Him with all of your being. Respond without hesitation to His call on your life and reflect His goodness to a watching world.
Journeying with Him,
Jessie