Lazarus, the much-loved brother of Mary and Martha, had been dead for four days (John 11:39).  Although the sisters had sent a message saying that Lazarus was very unwell, Jesus did not come.  Soon after that, the sick man died.  Then, after Jesus had intentionally delayed His journey by two days (John 11:6), the disciples accompanied the Lord to the little village of Bethany outside Jerusalem.  The funeral had already taken place, the tomb had been sealed (John 11:38-39), and now the devastated sisters were mourning their loss surrounded by many of their friends from Jerusalem.
 
When someone told Mary and Martha that Jesus was on His way, how did they feel about Him?  After all, they had told Jesus how sick Lazarus was, and the messenger would certainly have reported that Jesus knew … but instead of travelling back to Bethany He continued teaching the crowds who had gathered by the Jordan.  However, He had said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’ (John 11:4).  It was as much a puzzle to Mary and Martha as it had been to the disciples.

The sisters had mixed emotions, and perhaps they were even uncertain of their relationship with Jesus.  When He approached the village, only one of the sisters went out to greet Him.  Martha, the more extrovert of the two, expressed her frustration because she believed that Jesus' absence was the ultimate cause of Lazarus' death.  Yet, she also expressed faith, claiming that Jesus was stronger than death.  If He wanted to help them, He could still do a miracle.  But Mary could not bring herself to see Jesus.  She stayed at home, grief-stricken.  She had lost her brother; had she also lost confidence in Jesus?  Yet she was so hoping that Jesus had not rejected her (John 11:28-29).

God always knows what He is doing, and always does what is right.  But it is sometimes hard to believe when we see no sign of His activity.  Because we do not know the future, we cannot see how God will weave the dark circumstances of life into something glorious.  Some people falsely think that God is not interested in them, or has abandoned them (Isaiah 49:14-16).  But God's purposes are much bigger than our immediate circumstances (Jeremiah 29:11).  He will use them to minister truth and love to us and to others - our family, friends and colleagues at work.  He knows exactly how He will satisfy our needs, and also speak into many other lives as well.  So, whatever the circumstances, do not blame the Lord or resent His apparent inactivity.  Instead, believe that He is at work and has the power to do anything to meet our needs and reveal His glory to those around us through our difficult circumstances.