The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!
Psalm 34:7-9
Have you experienced firsthand the goodness of God? Have you tasted? Have you personally felt His presence in dark times? Have you run to Him and found Him to be your refuge and strength, a very present help in time of need? (Ps. 46:1)
It’s a beautiful thing. Isn’t it?
It’s times like these that make the silence of Jesus deafening.
It’s times like these that cause us to doubt Him when the darkness lingers, and we find ourselves in the waiting. He’s come through before. Why not now? Do you find yourself in such a place?
I know some friends of Jesus that can relate.
You probably know the familiar story of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. This family was close to Jesus. They had Him in their home. Martha cooked for Him. Mary sat before Him. You can read of other accounts in the scriptures about their relationship as well. We know from the story I’m about to share in John 11, Jesus loved them dearly. I’m talking about the story when Lazarus became very sick. He was so sick; he was at death’s door. So his sisters sent for Jesus. Perhaps before now, they thought not to bother Him, but it was now time for Jesus to show up and show His power. Jesus was the only one who had what Lazarus needed – healing power.
John 11:1-5 says,
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
Jesus said in verse 4, “this illness does not lead to death.” But, if you know the rest of the story, it actually did. Lazarus died. So what did Jesus mean?
My entire post today is centered around one little word. It’s a word that creates a paradox and maybe even confusion for the reader – at least at first glance. Let’s look at verse five. “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus…
(Right, we established that. Jesus loved them)
He loved them, SO when he heard Lazarus was ill, HE STAYED TWO DAYS LONGER in the place where He was.
Let’s get this straight. Jesus’s friends sent word to Jesus. They needed Him and they needed Him right away. They did their part. Remember what we read in Psalm 34? Blessed are those who take refuge in Him. They sought refuge from this crisis in Jesus. Now, when it mattered most to them, they knew their good friend Jesus would come through. Right?
But the story says Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, SO HE STAYED where He was. How does that even make sense?
Having you found yourself calling upon Jesus with the expectation that He will come and rescue you from your present darkness only to find yourself continuing on in the relentless waiting?
We learn in life the hard lesson that we cannot count on people because they can let us down. They may not mean to, but disappointment is inevitable. Maybe moments flash through your mind even now when you were let down by others. It’s painful.
But Jesus? He is all-powerful. He is all-knowing. He is love and truth. He tells us He loves us with perfect love and that He will never leave us or forsake us.
So what’s the problem? Is it me? Is it you?
Doubts flood in when Jesus waits to come.
I’ve talked with quite a few people going through prolonged dark times who have begun to doubt the Lord because of the waiting. They attribute to Him the flawed characteristics of others who’ve hurt them or let them down, and they’ve lumped Him into that same pile of disappointment.
Maybe He has poor time-management skills.
Maybe He is too busy.
Maybe He doesn’t love me as much as He does other people who “have their stuff more together” than me.
Maybe He isn’t all that good.
PINIMAGEFriend, your faith must be more than feeling. It must be grounded on the truth. Jesus IS the truth. Will you believe Him in the waiting?
Journeying with Christ means:
- Walking by faith – believing in the unseen, waiting for glory to be revealed.
- Believing He is who He says He is. PERIOD. End of story. No matter what!
- Believing that He is for you and intimately aware of every detail of your life AT. EVERY. MOMENT.
- Believing that His every decision is an act of love on our behalf.
Let’s look again at the story when word was brought to Jesus about Lazarus.
When Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
John 11: 4
Jesus waited because He knew, by raising Lazarus from the dead, He would bring glory to God and it would glorify Himself also. Proving He has authority even over death would increase the love and faith of Mary, Martha, Lazarus and show the glory of God to all who were present.
In times of confusion and waiting, let us remember:
Maybe He has poor time-management skills. Jesus was right on time.
Maybe He is too busy. Jesus’s waiting is evidence of His patient love, perfect plan, and willingness to give us His best.
Maybe He doesn’t love me as much as He loves other people. Even though Jesus knew what He would do in Bethany, He wept and was deeply troubled by the deep grief of Mary Martha and the others because of His love for them. He cries with you too. He doesn’t miss one tear that falls from your eyes.
Maybe He isn’t all that good. Everything Jesus does is good and it’s meant to bring Glory to God and draw us to Himself.
Friend, be encouraged today. If you have surrendered your burden to Him, your waiting is a part of His greater work. He is working even now for God’s glory and for your good. Do you believe it? Maybe you need to take time to repent of wrong thinking and ask Him to renew in you a spirit of hope in the waiting. His glorious plan is on the way. You can count on it because you can count on Him.
