Unfortunately for my children, I have a sixth sense about when it's time to go. Five minutes before leaving I transform from just plain ol' Mom to "The General"...barking out orders right and left: Teeth brushed. Hair done. Coats on. Backpacks, lunchboxes, PE Clothes. Everybody MOVE! Go! Go! Go!
You probably can imagine that "chilling out" is not really my specialty, especially when it comes to my relationship with the Lord. Verses like Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.(Mat. 7:7; Luke 11:9) are sweet and precious promises I take quite literally. But it's when the answer doesn't come right away, or right when I think I need it, that my faith is tested the most.
Over the past couple of weeks I've noticed that scripture is full of examples when the Lord seemed to be late for something important. If you read the passages in their entirety, you'll find that actually, He was right on time...His time.
Martha is one such example. She believed that if Jesus would have come when He had first been told of Lazarus' sickness, her brother would not have died. She certainly had no problems meeting the Lord, even before He entered the town, and telling Him to His face. Mary said the very same words when she ran to meet Him, but the difference was her posture. When she met Jesus, she fell at His feet weeping. When Jesus saw her weeping...He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. (John 11:33)
In another passage, Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, went to Jesus because his daughter was very sick. While on the way to heal her, a woman pressed through the crowd and touched the hem of Jesus' garment, healing her of an issue of blood, something she had suffered with for twelve years. Of course, Jesus stopped to find out who touched Him, and then send her on her way perfectly whole. In that delay, word reached Jairus that the Lord was no longer needed. His daughter was dead.
In both accounts it may have seemed that Jesus had arrived too late, that really His services were no longer needed since both were now dead. It was true that He had delayed his arrival in both places, continuing to do His Father's work. But can you imagine everyone's surprise when Lazarus came walking out of that tomb? Or when He brought that girl from the room, alive and completely healthy? All that sorrow and all that grief, changed in a moment to joy and rejoicing.
The reality is that there are just some things that we must go through, as harsh and as painful as they may be, so that in the end, all glory and praise may be directed to Him. It may also be because the Lord wants to increase our faith...or maybe even to show us His greatness. There's no way that those who witnessed both miracles, walked away not believing that Jesus was the Messiah and that He could do mighty things..
Are you facing something difficult and need the Lord to intervene now? Some of the biggest miracles have come during times of great sorrow. You may feel that the opportunity for Jesus to answer your prayer has passed...that He's too late. But keep asking, keep knocking, and keep waiting for Him to answer. He will...when the time is right. After all, when things seemed so bleak, Jesus arrived....right on time.
Simply Waiting On Him,
No comments:
Post a Comment