At Jesus’ Feet

She [Martha] went her way and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, ‘The Master is come, and calleth for thee.’ (John 11:28)

This word spoken by Martha was the message for which Mary had been waiting. She arose quickly and went to Jesus. To Martha, the Master had spoken of Himself as “the resurrection and the life.” To Mary, He shows His matchless expression of sympathy. Seeing His dear friend weeping so grievously, He weeps with her. He shares her grief and takes the whole burden of her sorrow upon His heart. That is the kind of Friend, and Saviour He is. He identifies Himself with our sorrows and distresses and ever shows His perfect sympathy and compassion. He is our faithful High Priest who is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities.” He weeps with those who weep because He loves us so.

What a difference it made to Mary in her sorrow to be able to go to Jesus, see Him, speak to Him, and have Him speak to her and sympathize with her! “The Master is come, and calleth for thee.” He calls the bereft and sorrowing to come unto Him to receive His consolation and hear His words of life. And Mary “arose quickly and went unto him.” Mary did the right thing; the very best thing she could do in her sorrow; she went to Jesus. That is what we should all do first when sorrow comes. We should go to Jesus in prayer and tell Him of our sorrow and loss. For He alone can fully comfort us and speak to us the words of eternal life.

Every time we see Mary in the Gospel story, she is at the fe