​Martha and her siblings were good friends with Jesus. She had heard him speak and seen many of his miracles. When her brother Lazarus became ill, she and her sister Mary sent word to Jesus, but Jesus did not come right away.

When He did come days later, Lazarus had passed. How do you think Martha felt, knowinf Jesus healed people like The Bleeding Woman and The Desperate Parent's son and yet He had not healed her brother?? Martha ran up the path to meet Jesus, saying, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

When Jesus reached the tomb where Lazarus was, he joined his friends' sadness with genuine sorrow. He broke down and wept, showing by His example that heartfelt mourning in the face of death does not indicate lack of faith but honest sorrow at the reality of suffering and death.

Jesus lifted up his eyes and cried out, "Lazarus, come out." This is where it gets creepy--Lazarus comes back to life and walks out of the tomb.

When Martha met Jesus on the path, she was sad, hurt, and confused. She didn't see that Jesus had an even greater plan than healing a sick person: He wanted to show that His power extended even into death.

The religious leaders were angry that so many people began to follow Jesus after He raised Lazarus from the dead, and they began plotting against Him. Soon Jesus will have the opportunity to ultimately defeat the power of death.

(A Kassi Revised Version of John 11:1-44)