When, God?Sample

PRAYER:

God, when it feels like you are delayed in answering my prayers, give me patience. Teach me how to wait with faith and hope.

READING:

When God Is Late – Part 2

As we continue our story, Lazarus has died. His sisters, Mary and Martha, had sent word for Jesus to come when Lazarus was sick, but he didn’t come. After Lazarus had been placed in a tomb, Jesus finally arrived with the disciples.

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. – John 11:17

Mary and Martha had tended to Lazarus when he was sick. They had sent for Jesus, having absolute faith that he would be there. They waited. Lazarus died, and still Jesus did not come. They put Lazarus in a tomb, rolled the stone in front of it, and began to mourn. And still no Jesus. 

Isn’t that where we live sometimes? God seems inattentive, disinterested, or late. And we think: I thought you cared about me, God. Jesus created this circumstance for Mary and Martha so we could carry hope into our futures. That’s how important this lesson was to our Savior.

The four days that Lazarus had been in the tomb were important. In the first century, they believed that the spirit of a person hovered over the dead body for three days, and in three days the spirit would leave. So four days later, there was no hope.

So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. – John 11:20

Why do you think Mary stayed home? She was angry. But Martha went to meet Jesus.

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” – John 11:21

In other words: This is your doing! 

“But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” – John 11:22

Here is Jesus’s response:

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” – John 11:23–24

Then Jesus said something only a crazy person or an impostor would say, or perhaps the Son of God would say. He looks at this angry, confused, emotional woman who loved her brother and thought she knew who Jesus was, and he said to her what he says to you and me. 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” – John 11:25–26

Martha thinks the resurrection is an event, and it is. She thinks the resurrection is about the future, and it is. But Jesus is saying: I am the resurrection and the life.

And then he asks her a question that he asks you too.

“Do you believe this?” – John 11:26

Do you still believe I am who you thought I was, even though I have not acted like you thought I would act?

“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” – John 11:27

Tomorrow’s reading finishes the story of Lazarus. We’ll see the hope Jesus gives to Martha, Mary, and everyone else who is there—and that he gives to us as well.

REFLECTION:

How would you respond to the question Jesus asked Martha? Do you believe that Jesus is who he said he is?