Devotions for Teachers: Finding Hope in The Darkness

Something occurred to me in church this morning. We are all Martha.

Who was Martha in the Bible? She’s mentioned in a couple famous stories, and she is so relatable. She’s always thinking what the rest of us are thinking, and she’s bold enough to say it. When Jesus comes to her house, and her sister is washing his feet, Martha’s the one who starts freaking out about having to cook and clean alone, while her sister relaxed with Jesus.

Do you know how many times I’ve snapped on my own husband for leaving me with too much of the household chores while he did something he enjoyed? Or how many times I was frustrated with a coworker for shrugging off duties that I had to pick up the slack on? I’m totally a Martha.

In the story of Lazarus’s death, Martha sends word for Jesus to come quickly. He doesn’t. Lazarus has been dead for 4 days by the time Jesus shows up. And what does Martha do? She walks right up to him and says, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 

John 11:17-21

Now listen, I think Martha has every right to be upset here. She sent for Jesus. He was in a city 2 miles away. When he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was an extra two days. In her mind, Jesus could have been there within a couple hours back when she first summoned him, and none of this would have happened.

But here’s where Martha is the most relatable. She’s speaking about Jesus and his works as if they are only past or future-tense. She’s ignoring what he can do right now in front of her.

Goodness, if we don’t all do this. We read stories in the Bible, and we think to ourselves, “Jesus performed a lot of miracles back then, when He was here.” Or we think about the end of the world as we know it, and we say things in church like, “When He returns, all will be made right.”

But we forget that He is here, now. He’s powerful enough to fix things right now, if we only ask him.

Martha thinks that it’s too late for Jesus to work a miracle. He waited too long. But she forgets that he can do things in the present-tense, too. What do you have happening in your life right now that you’re struggling through alone? Or what do you spend time worrying about in the world, that you forget God has His hand in?

The miracles of Jesus are not reserved for the past or distant future. They happen every day. They can happen in your own classroom. That student who can’t be reached can have a breakthrough. This year that never seems to end can take a turn for the better. The strength to make it through another day is within reach. Just remember to ask for the help that you need, from the One who can give it.

Praying for each of you this week. Have a great week with your students!