Mary of Bethany

Years Ago I Discovered Mary of Bethany in the Bible

20 years ago I was so weakened I couldn't  even get off the couch.  jESUS healed me and He has given me my strength back.  All praise to Him.  

 Years ago this body was so depleted of any vital energy I could barely drag myself around.  This state seemed to go on for years.... I could barely move.  I had terminal cancer.  The doctors poisoned me to the edge of death with their chemo (chemical) therapy for a whole year. Not to mention radiation, 2 surgeries, and invasive procedures  also seriously weakened my body.  At the end of that year I was reduced to a human being being trapped in a body that was too weak to get off the couch.  

 Ultimately Jesus had mercy on me.  In an instant He blew cancer out of my body.  He poured into me His living hope.  Then, over the years, in ups and down Jesus has strengthened my mortal body.  I'm actually living on borrowed time.  I pray that I please HIm and use this time wisely to tell of Your mercy, grace, and forgiveness Lord Jesus.

At my lowest is when I discovered the Bible.  I couldn't do anything else, but Jesus Holy  Spirit empowered me to read and understand His Word.  All praise to Him.  I could lay there for hours and read about Jesus.  How He loved the people and wrought miracles.  I could almost see and experience being with Him as He walked the hills of Galilee, and stood on the shore of Lake Generesett.   Messiah's  love for me revealed in His death, burial and resurrection blew me away.

My heart was broken though.  I still had my 2 small children who I love dearly.  I didn't have the strength to even go outside and watch them play.  I couldn't take them to soccer, or to the park.  All the other mothers were doing beautiful gardens and great days with their familys.  Not me.  I was just praying that my children wouldn't run into the street and get killed.

That's when I discovered Mary of Bethany. 

(Image: lavistachurchofchrist.org)

We read about her in the Gospels. (Luke and John) I was just like her.  All she did was sit at Jesus feet, listening to Him.  That's all I could do in life.  One day Mary's sister got angry at her.  She demanded that Jesus make her stop just sitting there with Him, and get up, and get to work.  Because Martha could do everything.  She must have been very strong, healthy, and efficient.  Mary, it seemed was just the opposite.  Like me.

Well, I expected Jesus to tell Mary to get up and get to work.  He did just the opposite.  To me, He said to Martha,  OH MARTHA, MARTHA, YOU ARE SO BUSY, TOO BUSY... SO WORRIED ABOUT ALL YOU DO.  AND YOU KNOW WHAT MARTHA, SOMEDAY IT WILL ALL BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU.  BUT WHAT MARY HAS CHOSEN IS THE BETTER.  IT WILL NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HER.  (This is my paraphrase of what we read in the Gospels)

So, I realized, that laying there on the couch, reading about Jesus was the most important thing in this world.  I could do something of eternal value.  It made me so happy.  Whenever I felt so sad, I would just read those words Jesus said, and He would make me happy again.