When speaking of God's
timing my friend would often say. "Four days late and right on time!".
This of course is true. God's ways and timing are not ours - many times. It
also refers to an event in the Bible from John chapter eleven. This story sets
the tone for what the world would experience over the next ten days. With Palm
Sunday coming next week I feel it would be good to revisit one of the greatest
miracles of Jesus' ministry - bringing his friend back from the dead!
Now
a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and
her sister Martha. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay
sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with
her hair.) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one
you love is sick.”
When he heard this, Jesus
said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s
glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now
Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he
heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. John 11:1-6
This
is an incredible account in Jesus' ministry. One of His closest friends is
deathly ill and Jesus doesn't rush to his bedside. Have you ever felt like
this? You cry out to Jesus and then you don't hear His voice or feel His
presence? I'm sure we all have, but know this - He does hear you. His way of
dealing with your crisis might be totally different than what you had in mind.
Trusting
in God means that we will do it His way and in His time (even when we don't
understand or like it). Maybe God seems to be running late these days... or
maybe we should ask Him to increase our faith.
Amen?
