Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days. Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”
John 11:39-40 (NAB)
Martha and Mary sent for Jesus while Lazarus was sick, but Jesus arrived four days after he died. Jesus gave the impression that He was in no hurry, even though the family of Lazarus were all close friends of His. When He finally arrived, Martha thought His timing was off, and she hinted at feeling abandoned by Him. She had hoped Jesus would arrive early enough to heal her brother, but now he was gone, and so was her hope.
Jesus didn’t abandon His friends, He wasn’t careless in timing, nor did He delay on purpose, putting Martha and Mary in a state of distress.
He wanted to teach that it’s never too late to see the glory of God in any situation.
As they approached the tomb of her brother, Martha began explaining to Jesus the facts about a body’s decomposition after four days, as if the Son of God needed to be informed about this.
Despite a difficult situation where we feel God’s timing is off, or like Martha, we may feel abandoned, Jesus has been with us all along. He needs no explanation of our time limits or deadlines, because He knows all, since He is God.
Prayer needs to be more than presenting my plan on how God can solve my problems. I forget that He can work out the solution to problems, in His way, without my advice. When I have limited expectations, and am stressed out with time deadlines, I need to trust that God has a bigger plan and a better way, and He is not governed by any limitations.
One of the most important lines of prayer that Jesus ever taught us, is “Thy will be done.” I’ve never learned to appreciate those words as much as I do recently. If I say it and mean it, my perspective totally changes. It removes all anxiety and opens my mind to seeking whatever will glorify God in the given situation. They are the best four words ever, as we yield it all to Him, “Thy will be done.” It really releases all stress and anxiety.
To practice saying it and meaning it, makes it the healthiest four words we could ever say to God. If God’s will is done, He will be glorified.
Jesus’ response to Martha is probably what He would say to any of us, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” After four days, there could be no doubt that Lazarus was truly dead, and after the miracle of raising him from the dead, there was no doubt that Jesus was truly divine. The glory of God was revealed and His will was done.
If we believe Jesus is who He is, then He transcends the laws of nature as well as all of our man made deadlines.
There is no tomb enclosure, no time limit, and no decomposition effect that limits the power of Almighty God.
Jesus may delay an answer, but He will never abandon us. He knows what we need, and wants us to believe that when He reveals His glory, it is beyond any limitations.
He will do whatever He needs to do in order to reveal His glory, through our lives and our loved ones’ lives. Even when the answer is not what we expected, it’s the answer that will show us the glory of God in the long run, because we believe in Him.
St Augustine said:
“If God seems slow in responding, it is because He is preparing a better gift. He will not deny us. God withholds what you are not yet ready for.”
We can trust that whatever God is doing, and however long it takes, He is preparing the best gift for us. He will always do what is best for our eternal soul, for what brings the most glory to Him, and He does everything out of His boundless love for us.
Lord, help us to have faith to believe you transcend all deadlines and limitations. Thank you for loving us, and in everything we ask of you, help us to seek first your glory. Amen