LORD, YOU'RE LATE AGAIN

So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. John 11:6

We set our clocks and watches and mark our calendars so that we can know what time it is and what appointments we have scheduled. Knowing the correct time and day is very important in our daily routines.

Alarms are set so that we will get up for church, school, and work to arrive on time. Our calendars list upcoming birthdays, weddings, and holidays so that we can prepare for these important days.

Time dictates most of the events of our lives.

Time is a man-made measurement. It was established in order for civilization to function. Time zones were formulated so that the entire world would be in sync.

As much as we rely on time, it is irrelevant to the Lord. By that, I mean that the Lord is not dictated by clocks and calendars as we are, for He does as He pleases and when He wants to. The Lord is sovereign.

If we were to complain to the Lord that He is taking a long time to answer a prayer of ours, he would reply, “No, I'm not. I have everything under control.”

The above scripture reveals that even as Jesus ministered on earth he was not always dictated by time. He had a plan and purpose for everything.

His good friend Lazarus was sick, and instead of immediately going to minister to him, he deliberately stayed in Judea two more days. (Can you imagine if a pastor was called to the hospital and decided to go visit an ailing parishioner two days later?) And the reason being for His delay was--“This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it...Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” verses 4, 14-15

In God's eternal plan, in his great wisdom, he delayed going to heal him, so he could raise him from the dead, thereby giving God the glory.

As we wait on the Lord, it seems at times that the Lord isn't going to answer us, that He has forgotten us. The psalmist felt that he had been abandoned by the Lord. Psalm 13:1 How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God.

But as we continue to read, the psalmist closes by saying--5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.

When something comes to pass that we have been waiting a long time for, we sometimes say, “It was worth the wait.” It wasn't much fun waiting, but now that it has been fulfilled, we see that waiting was a good thing.

When we turn to the Word, we see several events where God's people had to wait until God intervened and His holy will was accomplished.

Abraham and Sarah had to wait years before the Lord's promise of a child came to pass. (We see what happened when they tried to “help” the Lord out instead of waiting.)

The children of Israel had to wait 400 years before the Lord raised up Moses to be their deliverer from bondage in Egypt.

David was a teenager when Samuel anointed him to be the next king of Israel, but it wasn't until he was an adult that he came unto power.

Job waited months for his healing and restoration.

God's people waited centuries for the coming of the Messiah. See Galatians 4:4.

And James tells us to be patient as we wait for the coming of the Lord.

Waiting can be hard, but we must continue to seek the Lord and trust Him, for in His “time” He will answer our prayers and pour out His blessings! Amen!

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

“Most of us would prefer...to spend our time doing something that will get immediate results. We don't want to wait for God to resolve matters in His good time because His idea of 'good time' is seldom in sync with ours.”
― Oswald Chambers