#42: A TEACHABLE HEART

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Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, LORD, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask him for.” John 11:21-22 (GNB).

At first sight it appeared Martha had it all. One would hear her speech and perceive she was well grounded in the faith, but a study of later verses postulates otherwise:
“Your brother will rise to life,” Jesus told her.
“I know,” she replied, “that he will rise to life on the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live even though they die, and all those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this? (23-26)
Just some minutes after her speech, Jesus decided to engage her in a conversation that was meant to expose her ignorance. Jesus wanted to teach her something new. But she was not teachable. She thought she knew it all. Even though she said “Yes” in vs. 27, her reaction in vs. 39b showed that she still lacked the depth of the new dimension Jesus wanted to take her faith into.
Martha answered, “There will be a bad smell, Lord. He has been buried four days!”

Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see the God’s glory if you believed?” (39b)
Martha had a form of godliness, yet denied the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5a). She was ever learning, and never coming to the knowledge of the Truth (2 Timothy 3:7). Do we see this trend in our lives? Are there times that God is talking to us, but we are banking on our previous bank of knowledge? Have we been banking on our experiences? The LORD wants to take us deeper today. We must present ourselves teachable for Him to have effect in us. Martha was bent that Jesus would resurrect her brother, but on the last day, and even when Jesus was revealing himself anew, she was not teachable again. She thought she knew all that was meant to be known of Jesus. There is always still more of Jesus to know!

Peter boasted to Jesus to never leave him (John 13:36-38), and even when Jesus predicted his denial, Peter was not teachable till he broke down after the denial (Luke 22:62). After the resurrection of Jesus when Peter was asked if he loved Christ, he was no longer boastful in his response (John 21:15-19). He submitted to the will of God. Pride goes before a fall. It makes us not teachable.

This week, as the LORD will be unravelling new dimensions of Himself to us, may pride of our past achievements not prevent us from learning.

THOUGHT: Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ (Philipians 3:12-14)

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