Martha’s Thankfulness

http://scripturehandmaidens.blogspot.com/2011/03
/mary-and-martha.html

Today, we finish our interviews with Biblical people who received special blessings from Jesus. Today we will hear from Martha.

Quiet Spirit: Martha, thank you for your patience, are you ready to share your story with us?

Martha:  Yes, thank you. I am so glad to be here to share my heart with all your friends.

Q.S.: Tell us about yourself.

Martha: I live in Bethany on the eastern slope of Mount Olivet, near the Jericho road. Bethpage and Bethlehem are nearby. We could walk the short distance to Jerusalem.

 Q.S.: How did you meet Jesus?

Martha: My brother Lazarus, my sister Mary, and I heard of the miracles He performed. Those who witnessed these miracles and heard His preaching were either pleased with Him or were angry about His ways. We decided to go hear for ourselves. What he said made sense to us. We embraced Him.

After that, whenever Jesus came through our town, we opened our home to Him. He became like one of the family. We had him stay in our home.

We permitted Him to use our home as a central base for His disciples whenever they returned to our town. I always prepared a meal and gave them a place to rest.

Q.S.: Was there a time that you learned something from Jesus that was especially for you?

Martha: Whenever He came to our home, I always served a big meal, almost a banquet, as a welcome. One time, my sister Mary just sat and listened to Jesus. She didn’t help me do anything. Her behavior got under my skin. I was frustrated! I spoke my mind. I asked Jesus to tell my sister to help me with the meal.

                He told me I was anxious and troubled about many things. He let me know, nicely, that Mary chose what He called the better way. I let up on Mary that day. I vowed to have simpler meals in the future. I realized no one would remember what I served them. However, those who listened to Jesus could repeatedly tell many others what He said.

Q.S.: Are you thankful for what He did for you? Please explain why.

Martha: Yes, I am very thankful for what Jesus did for me. Because I was able to relax more. I heard the stories Jesus shared with the people who flocked to our home and listened to Him. I will always be thankful for the miracle He performed when he raised my dear brother Lazarus from the dead, but I have taken too much of your time. Maybe, I can tell that story at another time. Maybe then, I can share some recipes with you.

               

Q.S.: Thank you. I just might do that. 

                We have heard stories of thankfulness from those who encountered Jesus and received health and life-giving counsel. They each expressed that they were thankful. It is one of the tenets of the Christian faith that God through Jesus Christ teaches us that we are precious in His sight, delivers His children from the bondage of sin, forgives our wrong attitudes, and heals us from hurts.

Who among us has felt unrecognized, underappreciated, or forgotten?

Who among us spent even a small part of our lives angry at Jesus, but, because of a miracle He performed, have allowed Him to guide our lives?

Who among us, faced losing a loved one, and Jesus took over and brought healing?

Who among us has let our passion for our work overshadow our time spent with Jesus?

My questions to you are this: 

Has Jesus performed a miracle in your life that you are thankful for? 

Has He done something today that makes you thankful? 

Have you taken the time to express your thanks to Him?

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I am taking a break until November 28th. I have to get ready for Thanksgiving (clean my house) and try to decorate our house for Christmas. Enjoy your Thanksgiving.

A Story of Thankfulness from Malchus

https://burningfireshutinmybones.wordpress.com

Today, we have a very special guest with us. Malchus. He met Jesus in a very unusual way. But Jesus took care of his need, in spite of the fact that Malchus opposed the LORD.

Quiet Spirit: I would like to hear the story of your encounter with Jesus. Malchus, are you ready to share.

Malchus: Yes, I am. I’ll be glad to share with your friends.

            I am a servant in Caiaphas’ household. I started in service as a young boy, about eight or nine. My duties at that time were working with the animals. You know feeding them, cleaning the stalls, and replacing the hay in their stalls. As I got older, those duties changed.

QS: How did you meet Jesus?

Malchus: The year I was 20, on the night of Passover, I found myself going in a group of 200 men, some were assigned to Caiaphas, others were Priests and also there were Roman soldiers. It was dark; we carried torches to illumine our way through Jerusalem, up the Mount of Olives, and into the garden Gethsemane.

    As we approached this man Jesus, the one we followed there gave the sign to identify him. He actually kissed this Jesus person.

    Jesus asked who we were looking for. The priest answered. Jesus asked another question and again the priest answered. One of the men with Jesus asked yet another question and suddenly I felt something hit the side of my head. I reached up with my free hand and felt something warm on my skin. Someone near me held his torch closer to me and shouted, “This man is bleeding; his ear has been cut off.”

    Jesus chided one who was with him “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” He took my severed ear in his hand, placed it against the side of my head; said a few words, and removed his hand. This itinerant preacher, whom everyone wanted to die, healed me!

    My fellow servants told me which one of the men with Jesus did this to me. Later, after they brought Jesus to my master’s house, I recognized that man. I approached him and asked if he was with the Galilean. (Pause) Of course, he denied it.

QS: How has your encounter with Jesus affected your life?

Malchus: All I knew about Jesus was what I overheard from Caiaphas, Annas, and the other priests. I really didn’t care for him. That’s why I didn’t mind going in that group to find him that night.

     However, after he healed me, I thought about how he showed compassion to me by taking the time to do it, someone unworthy. If Jesus had not healed me, I don’t know what my life would have been like. I could have been reduced to a life of begging. He will always have my thanks.

Freely, Freely