Alive!

To hear this story, go to: Alive!

 

At first, we didn’t see eye-to-eye. I suppose we still don’t on everything, but I am learning.

It is not easy to be the hostess of an active household. There is much to attend to on ‘normal’ days to care for those I love. And when Yeshua is with us the day is so far beyond ‘normal’ as it includes his disciples as well as a variety of other visitors, and never more than today.

I was so honored when he first accepted our invitation. We had heard some of the marvelous things he teaches. But even more we heard about the things that he was doing to help others. We weren’t looking for him to give us anything. We wanted to bless him. My brother, my sister and I all had the same goal. Of course, we didn’t know what would follow. And now I see that he can’t seem to stop giving. He just keeps pouring out his heart everywhere he goes.

That one day, though, I had had too much. Because we had this guest, and many who followed him, we had a BIG meal to serve. Eleazar served as host in the main room. Miryam and I were to prepare and serve the food. After hours of preparation I was getting tired, and a bit cranky. I was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. I have a reputation for great organization of meals for large groups, and I was dedicated to maintaining that reputation. Then I noticed that I was working alone, so I just stopped and went looking for my sister.

Wouldn’t you know she was sitting listening to Yeshua. Of course I was indignant! I had not volunteered to be the ONLY one working. I was tempted to be bitter… I suppose I may even have succumbed to that temptation. So, I appealed to the teacher:

“Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to work by myself? Tell Miryam to get back to work and help me.”

It was almost a slap in the face when he replied:

“Marta, Miryam has made the better choice.”

I was livid! My mind was spinning, trying to grasp his point.

Okay, so NOW I know that relationships are more important than work. Hospitality is not just about cleaning and cooking. Caring for people involves heart talk. How did I get this old without grasping that?  I think I knew it when I was a child, but somehow I forgot it along the way as my ‘responsibilities’ grew.

The next time we saw Yeshua was after my brother died. His illness had stolen his strength, his breathe, and finally his life. There was no question that he was dead, though some now suggest otherwise. We are no strangers to death. It comes for each of us, and we had seen it several times before.

We had heard that Yeshua had healed many others of serious conditions. So, when we realized that Eleazar was seriously ill, we sent our friends to Yeshua to call him back to pray for Eleazar. The message we sent was quite simple:

‘Lord, the one you love is sick’.

Our friends returned to us and said that Yeshua 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.”

Yeshua did not return with our friends, so we waited and watched for his coming. Meanwhile Eleazar got worse and worse. We never heard why Yeshua delayed. Some said that he was scared because once he was almost stoned near here. But the Yeshua I know would not have been deterred by the threat of death. Still, he delayed in coming.

It was agonizing to see my brother waste away. We loved him so! And we sobbed after we realized that he had taken his last breath. Even more tears were shed in frustration at Yeshua’s absence. Yeshua had said he loved Eleazar, but not enough to come quickly?

We prepared the body as custom required, and placed him in the sealed tomb. He was most assuredly dead, despite the stories that are getting around. With all the preparation, we would have noticed any sign of breath or chest movement. If he had been alive, his body would not have shown the signs of corruption… as it did. Look, if he had been only close to death, then four days in the tomb would not have improved his condition.

When I finally saw that Yeshua was coming, with the area around the tomb filled with the wails of family and mourners, I sobbed all the more. He was still some ways off when I worked up my strength, and went to meet him. I stumbled on the words, but said:

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

He said:

“Your brother will rise again.”

“I know he will rise again” I said,“in the resurrection at the last day.”

Then he said:

“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

What was I supposed to say? Never die? What was that about? My brother was dead! And if one never died, how could there by a resurrection at the last day?

“Yes, Lord,” I said“I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

My answer felt a bit numb. I’m not really sure where the words came from. Even so, my brother was gone.

I went back to look for my sister and tell her that the Rabbi had come, and was asking for her. She rose quickly and went to see him.

As Miryam and Yeshua drew nearer to the tomb I could see that he was crying now. His weeping was such that even the others realized how much Yeshua had loved my brother. Some also murmured that he should have come earlier to keep him from dying.

Once in front of the tomb, when he told us to roll away the stone, we thought that, somehow, he misunderstood the reality of the situation. I warned him that the stench would be quite strong, for he had been there for four days already.

Then he said:

 “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

I was all atremble!  What could that possibly mean? They took away the stone, with great expectation!

When he said:

“Eleazar, Come Out!”

I stared in disbelief. Then we saw that something inside was moving, though the hands and feet were still wrapped in burial cloths, and a cloth covered the face.  Could that be my brother?

“Take off the grave clothes and let him go”said Yeshua.

Such joy!  Such energy! While some stood back in doubt, several went to his aid. There, stood my brother, not only alive, but strong and healthy! Yeshua simply spoke a word, and the illness was gone too! Even more, there were no signs or decay! NO smell of death! How could that be?

People from far and wide have been coming to see Eleazar. They ask for the details, though Eleazar has few to share but that he once was dead, and now is alive. Everyone seems to give the glory to Yeshua, except for the Temple leaders, who seem disappointed with any description that we can provide. They do not seem pleased that we have Eleazar back again. We know we will lose him to death once again, someday. Until then, we are blessed by his presence and fellowship.

So here I am, six days before the Passover, and I am serving another banquet, honoring Yeshua. Well, this time my sister helped prepare and now we are serving, yet again.

Eleazar reclines with Yeshua. And all those additional guests are gathered around as well. Some seem to be genuine searchers. Others seem to be looking to disprove a miracle or see a new miracle.

Wait! Where did Miryam go now? There is still much to do, but I will not ask the Rabbi to intercede this time.

Oh! There she is, sitting at his feet, again. This time she has one of her flasks of perfume…

Oh my! she is pouring the perfume on his feet – pure nard!

Now she is wiping his feet with her hair! I can smell it from here.

Ah! Yehudah protests. He asks why the nard wasn’t sold and the money given to the poor. I don’t recall Yehudah showing such concern for the poor before. As the keeper of the purse, perhaps he will find something else to sell to satisfy his desire.

Yeshua speaks:

“Leave her alone. It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

How can he talk about the day of his burial?  Did she use the nard too early? And what could he mean that ‘you will not always have me’?

Everything is going his way. Just yesterday, when he entered Jerusalem, a great crowd of people shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David! Hosanna in the highest heaven. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”!

Then he went into the Temple, overturned the tables of the money changers, and healed many people. His kingdom must be near. Even most people here are amazed by him.

He has the words of life, and he brings such peace. Many are coming to him since he raised Eleazar. I expect a great day is coming soon when he will lead a large and mighty contingent.

I so wish that we could enjoy his company ALL the time. To be in his presence, always, would be great joy!

 

 

(C) 2017 Chuck Curtiss

To read other similar stories in this series see The Witness List.

Based on Luke 10:38-41 and John 11:1–12:9

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