The Resurrection and the Life

Pause & Reflect

Martha met Jesus in the middle of grief. Her brother Lazarus had died. Jesus did not rebuke her sorrow or pretend death was insignificant. He gave her a promise rooted in Himself: “I am the resurrection and the life.” Christian hope does not deny death. It declares that death does not have the final word because Jesus has authority over it. Before raising Lazarus, Jesus called Martha to believe in who He was. Sometimes we want Jesus only to change the situation. He invites us first to trust the Person standing before us. There are losses in this life that will not be reversed on our preferred timetable. But the resurrection hope of Christianity reaches beyond temporary relief. Those who belong to Christ possess a hope that extends beyond the grave. Jesus is not merely someone who performs resurrections. He is the Resurrection and the Life.