SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Jesus said to her, “I AM the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live..."
John 11:25
PRAYER FOCUS - I AM the Resurrection and the Life
Mary and Martha were devastated! Their brother had just died, and the One Man who could have done something about his disease arrived too late! Both sisters greeted Jesus with the same heart-wrenching cry, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21).
Jesus’ response? Jesus said to her, “I AM the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Little did Martha know that about two weeks later, Jesus would Himself die on the cross and also be raised from the dead.
Jesus has authority over death and the grave. He demonstrated this authority by raising Lazarus from the dead. He showed it again when He Himself was raised from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of Christian faith. The apostles proclaimed it repeatedly in the book of Acts. Paul wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (1 Cor 15:17). We have a hope for our eternal future because of Jesus’ resurrection! Jesus was giving Martha hope in the middle of her mourning Lazarus’ death.
There is also grief that may not involve the physical death of a loved one. Perhaps today, you are grieving the loss of a relationship, the loss of a dream, the loss of a job, or the loss of some other important part of your life. Jesus knows and cares about your grief. “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). This is the shortest verse in the Bible, and yet it demonstrates so powerfully how much Jesus cared about Martha and Mary. Jesus can revive dead things in your life today, just like He did thousands of years ago!
RESPONSE
Today if you are carrying a heavy load of grief, know that Jesus is near to you. He knows your sorrow; He will not abandon you in your distress. “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…” (Isaiah 53:4). Take time alone with God today to tell Him what is weighing you down and ask for him to reveal His great love for you today. If you are not carrying this heavy load, who is someone you know that you can lift up in prayer or come alongside them to help bear their burden? Isaiah 58 describes the kind of fast that includes reaching out to those who are oppressed and helping them bear their burdens. Reach out to them today and remind them you’re with them and in their corner.