John 11:21-22

‘Martha therefore said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here my brother had not died. And even now I know that whatever you will ask God he will give it to you.”

It is noteworthy that Martha still retained hope. She had sublime confidence in Jesus. ‘Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died'. This was not a complaint, but a quiet statement of faith. She had no doubt at all that Jesus could have prevented it.

‘Yet even now I know that whatever you request from God, God will give you'. She knew what Jesus could do, what she did not know was whether He would. Many were dying in Judea. Why should this one be any different? Here Martha's activity produced a faith which a less active person might not have achieved. She just could not sit still and let things happen, even if what she asked for was hopeless.

It is noteworthy that in this incident it was Martha whose faith shone out. In Luke it was Mary whose faith was commended, but the same one who was wrapped up in Jesus' presence there, was now wrapped up in grief for her brother. It was Martha who looked for Jesus to do something.