Pastor Mikes Daily Devotion Tuesday May 20, 2014 John 11:5–7, Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” Have you ever really prayed for something or someone, and it seemed as if the Lord did not answer, or even hear your prayer? In verse 3 we have a picture of prayer, as Lazarus sisters intercede on his behalf, taking the problem of his sickness to the Lord. But the Lord delays and Lazarus dies, and those left behind to grieve are left to ask, Why? Jesus gave the answer in verse 2 when He said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it. How was the glory of God to be seen through Christ? First, all miracles that Jesus did were for the purpose of confirming the connection between He and the Father. Secondly, Jesus miracle in raising Lazarus from the dead confirmed that He had power over sin and death. And lastly, it is because of this miracle that the Chief Priests and Pharisees decided that the Lord needed to be put to death, but it was through His death that Jesus was glorified. So why does the Lord delay in answering our prayers? Well, Gods delays are delays of love. This can be so hard to see through an aching heart, tearful eyes, or a grieving spirit, but there is nowhere in the bible that we see that God is indifferent towards His people. God operates on a divine time schedule motivated by love. We need to understand during these trying times that Gods delays are purposeful. They are generally for His glory, and specifically to mold our errant will to conform to His perfect will. We need to interpret circumstances by the love of Christ, not interpret the love of Christ by our circumstances. In this life there will be times of sorrow, but we do not sorrow as those who have no hope. Isaiah 30:18, Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
Posted on: Wed, 21 May 2014 06:00:00 +0000
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