Martha's Mistake

"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:  which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth forever" (Psalm 146:5,6).  "The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke" (Proverbs 13:8).  "Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.  Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto Him, Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days.  Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" (John 11:39,40). 

How happy all the people are

Who know their help is from the Lord,

From Him who made and named each star

In galaxies yet unexplored. 

He made the heaven, earth, and sea

And everything that is therein.

He keeps His truth eternally

And He has ransomed us from sin. 

In light of this, we may be sure

That we are safe in Jesus' hand. 

By trusting Him, we are secure;

His counsel shall forever stand.

Yet there are times when we are tested

By circumstances in our life. 

For faith is tried, not as we've rested,

But rather in the midst of strife. 

We learn from Martha at the grave

Where Lazarus was laid to rest,

Our faith affects how we behave,

And trusting Christ is always best. 

Our Savior gave a clear command

To take away the stone that day,  

But Martha did not understand,

And hesitated to obey. 

Our Lord called for obedience

Before He raised up Lazarus.

Shall not this test of confidence

Admonish doubt as well in us? 

Though Martha then had been mistaken,

She was reproved and quickly turned.

So may our doubt be thus forsaken

As in our trials we have learned.

Lord, teach us to remove the doubt,

Thus represented by the stone,

As You have searched and found us out,

That we may make Your glory known. 

Lord, thank You for the trials sent

Which You have measured for our sake,

That we may hasten to repent

As Martha did from her mistake.