God's Always Right on Time

Do you ever think of God as being "late?" Well, we know of at least two of Jesus' friends who did. Martha was the first to confess it: "Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:21). A few verses later, her sister Mary says the same thing: "When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32).

Now, before we judge Martha and Mary for their lack of faith, let's think about their situation for a moment. It had been several days since the sisters had sent for Jesus, telling Him the "one he loved" - Lazarus, their brother - was sick and needed Him...really needed Him. I'm sure they thought Jesus would come as quickly as He heard the news, but He didn't. Instead, He waited - not just an hour or so, but days.

In my mind's eye, I can see the sisters' heads turn in expectation every time someone knocked at the door, only to be disappointed that it wasn't Jesus. I can see them pacing back and forth, wringing their hands with anxiety, sharing the burden of wiping the fevered brow of their brother, knowing that when Jesus came, all would be made right. I see them shaking their head in denial as Lazarus takes his last breath, wondering where their Savior could be. "If He'd only been here. Where could He be? He was only a couple of miles away when we sent for Him. A good brisk walk would have gotten Him here in plenty of time. Why was He so late in coming!?"

Fortunately, we have an advantage over Mary and Martha, don't we? We know how it all ends. We know that Jesus finally arrives four days after Lazarus passes away and then miraculously, calls him forth out of the grave. We know the reason Christ delayed His coming to Bethany was not because of a camel accident along the way or because someone stole His passport. Scripture specifically tells us He waited so that the glory of God could be revealed in the Son. Oh, and by the way, in case you're wondering, It was!

Yep, we definitely have an advantage over Mary and Martha in their case of faithlessness, but I wonder...

I wonder if the same thoughts don't run through our minds on occasion. I wonder if we ever question God about His "lateness" upon answering our requests.

I don't know about you, but that statement nails me right between the eyes. As a matter of fact, I've been quite guilty of questioning God's "lateness" recently. I've been in prayer over an issue and have been waiting expectantly for God to "show up," but so far, there's been no resurrection! My thoughts progressed from asking God to help us, to eventually complaining that the whole process was taking far too long. "This was supposed to be over by now." Ever said that before?

Well, what I didn't realize was the accusatory nature of my statements. I was actually accusing the Father of being late...of not working in my situation...of not coming to my rescue when I needed Him...of not being on time. I had forgotten that my life wasn't supposed to be all about me. Instead, it was and is supposed to be all about Him.

Again, in the sisters' defense, accusing God of being late isn't that hard to do. We do it all the time without really ever recognizing the sinful nature of our thoughts and words. Sometimes all it takes is the failing health of a loved one to do the trick. We pray and pray for healing, yet when we see none, our hearts become heavy, and hopelessness begins to grow. It doesn't even have to be that serious for accusations to arise. It can be as simple as giving in to a bad attitude and complaining about where we are in life. These complaints aren't just words. They are accusations which hold themselves up against the timeliness of the Father.

I think - no, I know - we've got to make ourselves remember these things -these trials, these heartaches, these difficult situations, these things we want to complain about - are all for the glory of God. What God is doing in the midst of His supposed tardiness is actually building something that will not only benefit us, but everyone else around. If He hasn't chosen to "show up" yet, it doesn't mean that He doesn't care or that He's taking His own sweet time. There's a reason...and that reason will bring unmistakable glory to His name...and unbelieveable wealth to your soul.

God's never late, my friend. Nope, He's always right on time. Let's make a decision to remember that today, okay?

Lord Jesus, sometimes we just don't understand what You are doing, but that doesn't mean that it's not good. Your ways are higher than ours, so I confess that to You in faith, believing that the things that we are going through are for our good and Your glory. Show up, Lord, if You choose and remove this burden. But if not now, Lord, we will wait in anxious expectation to see Your glory revealed through this trial. Thank You for trusting us with it, Jesus. Thank You!