DO YOU THINK THE LORD HAS DELAYED?
"Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." - John 11: 21
Very often, we charge the gracious Lord with delay! We pray, asking and almost immediately, we expect Him to answer us. Whilst there may be several reasons for His delay, l want to focus on one; being that He may be glorified thereby.
You ask: why would God seek His glory by my pains, my long waiting and sometimes, my shame? Why wouldn't He just grant me my request now that l need it most? First of all, we must understand that we were created for His glory (Isaiah 43:7); and so, it is not out of place for Him to seek to be glorified in us!
In John chapter 11 verse 6, we learn that when Jesus had heard that Lazarus, His friend was sick, "He abode two days still in the same place where He was". From the narrative in the gospel of John, it is obvious that Jesus delayed deliberately, going to heal His sick "friend", despite entreaties by the sick man's sisters to that effect. When He eventually showed up, Lazarus had died and the sisters of the dead man charged the Lord with delay (John 11:21,32). Have you ever charged the Lord with delay?
Two reasons can be given, "inter-alia " for the Lord's delay in Lazarus' story; which reasons may stand applicable to your situation in life. Firstly, Jesus delayed that He might perfect the faith of the two sisters of the dead man and that of His disciples. Let's never forget that the grand object of the Lord in most cases of this nature is to have men catch the revelation of Himself as Saviour, to the end that they may believe and receive the blessing of salvation. This is absolutely important as far as the Lord is concerned and even if our lives are "wasted", or we bear pains and shame on this account, He is pleased to have it so and on our part, we are seen by Him to have fulfilled the reason for our being! For this, we should be grateful to Him!
Secondly, God will oftentimes withhold His blessing that He might enlarge it. Imagine how enlarged Lazarus' resurrection was in contradistinction to the miracle of healing which would have been effected had Jesus not delayed! In the same vein, Joseph had asked the butler to mention him to Pharaoh and to have him released from prison (Genesis 40:14-15). The man forgot him; or rather, God made him forget him. What mattered to Joseph was his release from prison. To him, it would be most gratifying securing his release from prison and thereafter, he couldn't care if he roamed about the streets of Egypt an inconsequential fellow! Least did he know that God had better plans for him, to install him as Egypt's Premier!
Don't you think God has better plans for you by His delay? Do all things not work together for your good? They verily do, my friend! Is it not written that "... the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." - James 1:3-4.
Do you still charge God with delay? Are you like Job whom God accused of darkening counsel by words without knowledge? - Job 38:2. There are things too wonderful for us to understand. God does great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number - Job 9:10.
Have a beautiful week in Jesus name.
PRAYER
Dearest Heavenly Father, I rest in your love for me, believing you to do for me things at the best of times, in Jesus name.
(Expect the parts 2 & 3 of this message)