John 11:1-17 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was… So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.
If we had heard that one of our best friends was sick and near death, most of us would make our way to be with our friend as soon as possible.
It is for certain that Jesus loved Lazarus, Martha and Mary. He cared deeply for each one of them. Why then did Jesus wait two days before even leaving to be with Lazarus, and end up arriving at the home of Lazarus and his family, four days after he had died?
When we have a need or ask the Lord to help us with a problem in our life, we would like to know that He would respond to us as quickly as possible. How would you feel if Jesus purposely delayed the answer or help you desperately needed, until it was too late?
Therein is the problem that most of us have when we expect the Lord to help us in our times of need. The Lord does not always bring the help or answers that we think we need, when we think we need them.
By the time that Jesus arrived at the home of Mary and Martha, they were heartbroken and completely distraught.
John 11:20-21 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Martha was the kind of woman that was a hard worker, diligent and right to the point on every matter. She was also constantly stressed out over all the details of her life and found it nearly impossible to enjoy the wonderful and simple moments of living. When Jesus arrives at her home, Martha is at the end of her wits. She makes a statement to Jesus that I think many of us make ourselves when we don’t get the answers from the Lord as quickly as we would like them.
“Lord if you had been here, this would not have happened…”
In other words, “Lord if you had just done this the way that I wanted you to do it, then none of this would have happened.”
Then Jesus did for Mary, Martha and Lazarus what they needed most of all. He showed them that even when we think that all hope is gone and that something or someone is dead and hopeless, that they are not beyond the power of our God.
Jesus stood in front of Lazarus’ tomb and watched the friends He loved so dearly, cry until they could barely stand. Jesus felt the pain that they felt and He began to cry Himself:
John 11:35 Jesus wept.
The Lord works in ways that are beyond our understanding and past our finding out. Know for certain, that everything that He does for you in your life is always for your greatest benefit. Sometimes, something has to die in our life before the Lord can show us His greatest power. Even when parts of your life seem as though they have gone too far and are beyond hope or repair, remember nothing is beyond the Lord. He might seem to be 4 days late, but in reality He is right on time.
Today as you take your walk with the Lord, remember that whatever you need, and wherever your heart’s desires may linger, your God knows what you need in your life and when it is best to bring it to you. When something seems as if it will never happen or is beyond the possibility of repair, don’t lose hope. Jesus can stand before your dead and hopeless dreams and make them come to life.
Do You Believe This?
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Rob Robinson
