“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister [Mary] and Lazarus. So when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days – John 11:5-6.

For a week, a young family was planning to celebrate their 10^th wedding anniversary in style.

They pre-booked a table at a top restaurant in the city a week ahead.

On the D-day, madam went ahead of them to the venue to make sure that everything was in order, as the hubby prepared the kids at home.

An hour after the scheduled time of arrival, daddy and the kids were nowhere to be seen. They had been delayed by his parents. Every ten minutes, madam would call asking what was wrong.

After an hour, she had called five times. On the sixth call, she called him and said just five words: “Honey, thank God you delayed.”

A few minutes later, the husband, his parents and the kids arrived to find a horrific scene.

A truck had lost control and rammed into the very spot that had been reserved for them.

Had they been there on time, it would have been a grisly disaster. “Honey, thank you for delaying,” the wife sobbed.

I don’t like waiting. It bothers me a lot when I am made to wait especially when we had agreed on the time to meet.

It is likely that you are not any different.

We live in a world where it is regarded as disrespectful and rude to make people wait. Service providers who don’t keep their promise to deliver on time lose customers and money.

Because people hate delays and waiting, instant stuff – coffee, fast foods, porridge, microwave meals – are now the norm.  Your meal is ready in a matter of minutes.

Please stop murmuring because He has the end already figured out. It will be for His glory! Hallelujah.

In our meditation today, we reflect on the experience of three siblings who were very close to Jesus. “Jesus loved” Martha, her sister Mary and her brother Lazarus, right?

However, Lazarus suddenly got very ill, so his sisters sent an urgent message to Jesus asking Him to come over immediately. “The one you love is almost dying; come right away. It is urgent,” the messenger said.

Normally, every true friend would drop everything on hearing such a message and take the quickest means of transport to find out what is wrong and how he can help.

Not Jesus. He remained in the same place, almost unbothered. He delayed for two whole days, why, because He loved Lazarus! Really?

However, Mary and Martha were like, can you even imagine? It couldn’t have been Him! Not even a call or SMS to say sorry and that He’s on the way?

When He eventually showed up, Lazarus was already dead and buried four days!  Then the regrets began – if You had been here in time, our brother would still be alive!

Many of us wonder why God delays to act. Why does He make His children wait for so long and more so at a time when we need Him most?

But Jesus already knew how the story would end. He knew that coming immediately to heal the sick Lazarus would not make as big an impact as raising a rotting body from the dead.

After the miracle, verse 45 says “many Jews believed in Jesus” because of that incredible miracle!

Their home and Lazarus immediately became national tourist attractions (see John 12:9-11).

Had Jesus come early and just healed the sick Lazarus, it would have been a basic and ordinary healing miracle.

For you who have waited and God seems like He’s delayed, the longer the wait, the heavier the testimony.

Maybe He has delayed to heal because he wants to raise you from the dead

What if your baby has delayed because He wants you to become a tourist attraction for delivering at 60 years?

Please stop murmuring because He has the end already figured out. It will be for His glory! Hallelujah.

It is okay; it might delay but it surely won’t be denied.  

Prayer:     

Almighty God, I believe that You have everything already figured out. I choose to wait on You for You’re never late. You’ll always show up right on time that Your glory may be manifested in and through my life.   Amen!