God Waited

If you have been in the church for any length of time, you are familiar with the story of Lazarus.  Jesus raises his friend Lazarus from the dead after being in the grave for four days.  That part is significant because this wasn't the first time that Jesus had raised someone from the dead, but when he did it shortly after death people explained it away - maybe they weren't really dead, you know? - but it's hard to explain away four days in a grave.

The sermon at church this morning was on this miracle of Jesus.  And even though I've read and heard this story numerous times, I started to cry.

"Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was." - John 11:5-6 ESV

It's easy to gloss over that because we know how the story ends.  Lazarus will live and be reunited with his sisters.  BUT they did not know that!  So when Jesus shows up four days after he dies, both sisters separately say the same thing to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." (11:21 and 32)  They think he showed up too late.  They are likely frustrated and devastated that he didn't come in time.

And I have felt this way, too.  I have asked God so many times why he showed up too late to my marriage.  Why didn't he do something sooner?  Why did he let it get so bad?   Why did he let it go on for so long?  Didn't he know I would be devastated?  Doesn't he love me??

Now Jesus loved Anna and her husband. So, when he heard that things were falling apart, he waited.

If I had known sooner, we probably could have saved our marriage from the turmoil - WE could have.  But by allowing it to all fall apart, only GOD could put it back together again.  Sometimes God receives the most glory by making sure only he can get the credit for the miracle.  So he waits.  He waits to make sure there is literally nothing left for us to do on our own.  And even though we are frustrated and devastated, even though we think he showed up too late, it's all going according to His plan - because he knows how the story ends.

And lest you think that God just sits around waiting because he doesn't care about how we feel, get this - even though Jesus knew everything would work out great, he wept (11:35).  Jesus sees the sisters and other friends weeping, he sees where they buried his friend, and he cries.  I take comfort in knowing that while I was crying all of those tears, my God was "moved in his spirit".  Maybe he even cried along with me.  Because he loves me.

Now Jesus loved Anna and her husband. So, when he heard that things were falling apart, HE WAITED.