Word of Encouragement (2/23/2021)

Yesterday, we talked about how God accomplishes His goal of conforming our hearts to His by saying no to our prayers at times. Today, let’s talk about why at times God’s answer to our prayers is to wait. The simple answer, as many of you know already, is for God’s perfect timing. But a perfect timing for what? First and foremost, it is for the optimal manifestation of God’s glory. Let’s consider two examples.

The first is the birth of Isaac—God’s promised child to Abraham and Sarah. When God called Abraham (who was called Abram, then), he was seventy-five years old (Gen. 12:4) and his wife, Sarah (who was called Sarai) was sixty-five (cf. Gen. 17:17). They were already old and barren. But Isaac was not born until they were a hundred years and ninety years old, respectively. Why this delay? As you can easily see, the timing of Isaac’s birth made it abundantly clear that it was by the power of God, not by man’s will and design. They had to wait patiently until it was God’s time. As the days and years went by, their confidence in themselves eroded more and more until they were compelled to trust in God alone. Maybe we should not despise our weaknesses; they may be just the right background against which God’s glory is displayed even more powerfully: “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor. 12:9).

The second is Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. As you know, according to Martha (and Mary and all the people who came to Lazarus’ funeral, Jesus was “four days late.” This was intended by Jesus. Even though Martha and Mary sent an urgent message for Jesus to come and heal their brother, Lazarus, who was gravely ill, “he stayed two days longer in the place where he was” (John 11:6). Jesus was intentionally delaying his trip to Bethany, where his beloved friend was dying. And by the time Jesus arrived there, Lazarus had been dead for four days.

Imagine how heartbroken Martha and Mary must have been by this late arrival of Jesus! I wonder whether they knew that Jesus took His time responding to their urgent request. If they had known, how angry and betrayed they would have felt! We know how confounded the disciples were by Jesus’ delay.

We know why Jesus was intentionally late four days. If He had come on time and healed His friend, which was what they expected from Him, they would have again marveled at His healing power and praised Him. But Jesus was more than just a Healer; He was the resurrection and the life (John 11:25), who could even raise the dead! But precisely because He was “late,” they were allowed to find out something even more wonderful about Jesus.

So then, let us not be discouraged when God’s answer to our prayer seems “late.” He may be telling us to wait patiently so we can know Him and experience God’s power and love in a more wonderful way!