How can we experience God? John assures us that we cannot manipulate, buy, or even work our way to God. It is only by love that we experience God who is love itself. When we love we show that we have been reborn as a child of God and God himself lives in us and through us. It is only by love that we know God. If we understand this then we understand the gospel and everything that Jesus taught. If we do not understand or practise it - even imperfectly - then we have very little to show for our time on earth. Each day we are given opportunities to love. We should be careful not to let them slip through our fingers.

Martha was a woman with a great faith and the ability to love. In the midst of her grief over the death of her brother Lazarus, she was still convinced that God would grant anything that Jesus asked. Jesus revealed that he was the resurrection and the life, and that whoever had faith in him would live forever. Her faith and love helped her to understand what Jesus was revealing to her, take it into her heart, and make a confession of faith in Jesus. The answers to so many of our questions are best answered by means of the heart. We will never be able to figure everything out but we can definitely love. With God dwelling in us our understanding will be deep indeed.