Excuse Me, How Long Is The Wait?

I must confess, I am impatient.  It is one of thorns in my side.  I don’t like to wait in lines. I don’t like to wait for people to get stuff done. I’m always looking for the fastest, most efficient way to do everything.  I’m the guy that inches up every 2 seconds at a stop light until I’m just about in the middle of the intersection, anticipating the light change. I’m easily irritated, and tend to be a bit too task oriented. I’m not proud of it, and God has done a miraculous work in me on it, but I’ve still got a LONG way to go (why couldn’t I just get there now…).

As I talked about in one of my last posts, something that really sticks out to me in Lazarus’ story in John 11, is the fact that Jesus waited so long before He went to where Lazarus was. I’m sure that wait was just about unbearable for Mary, Martha, and their friends and family. However, as I said before, we know that Jesus’ waiting to respond was intentional and that He had a greater purpose than just to respond to their need.

Many places in the Bible we find the exhortation to “wait on the Lord”. Here are some things I’ve learned in having to wait on the Lord:

1. It cripples our self-dependency and self-reliance. When we wait on the Lord, it is an acknowledgement of dependence on Him.  We are a generation that loves to get things done — we love to rush ahead of everyone else, and if we can do something we do it and quick.  But having to wait on the Lord, even when we are “able” to do something, reminds us that we are not on the throne.
    
2. It helps to ensure that we are moving in God’s timing and not our own. I’m a pretty passionate guy. When I see things going on that shouldn’t be, my flesh always wants me to bust the doors down and get everything out into the light.  More often than I like, this does more damage than good.  However, when I remember that I’m not the judge, but that God is, and I wait for His instructions, it always leads to restoration and reconciliation.  When we blast forward in our own timing, we risk propelling ourselves right out of God’s will. 
    
3. It causes us to appreciate God’s blessings even more. Several months ago, I purchased a Nikon DSLR.  I had wanted a camera like that ever since I was a little boy, but never had the opportunity.  Then, before you know it, I was married and had little Judah.  I made a resolution that I was going to wait until I had saved up enough Best Buy gift cards to get one.  It took over 2 years of not spending any of the gift cards that I received, and eventually I had enough to get one while keeping with the normal expense budget my wife and I had.
   
   After such a long wait, boy do I love that camera. I worked hard and waited a long time to get it. There was no guilt with spending the money because I followed the plan!  I appreciate it so much more because I didn’t just buy it on an impulse, even though I could.  When we wait on the Lord, we see the blessings and results in a much different light when they finally arrive. We are more appreciative, more grateful, and more responsible with them because we knew they cost something (whether it be money or time). They are more valuable to us.

These are a few of the things I’ve learned in waiting.  What about you?

Jesus Must Not Love Me.

There is probably no harder a season in our lives than when we witness the sickness and death of someone we love. These seasons often cause us to feel helpless, hopeless, and heavy-hearted. This was what the family and friends of Lazarus faced in John 11.

Confronted with the realization that Lazarus wasn’t going to get better, they were forced to stand by and watch him die. They had called for Jesus and told Him what was happening, yet He was no where in sight. When He finally arrived, I’m sure they felt it was too little, too late. But as we talked about yesterday, there was more to the story!

When we find ourselves in similar situations, whether it is the sickness and death of someone or something we love, there are things we must remember — things God wants to teach us. Truth that will help us make it through. There are several things, and I’m going to take them one by one. I hope you’ll stay with me through the next few posts!

So, looking at the story, what is the first thing that we need to remember when we face these situations and seasons?

Jesus still loves you and He’s not forgotten you!

I’m sure that Martha and Mary felt like Jesus had forgotten them. It had been at several days since they first told him and He had nothing to say? Why was there no rush to save their brother?  I thought that Jesus loved Lazarus? Maybe that was all words just words to get their allegiance? Questions like those probably filled their minds. Doubt, anger, fear, and a myriad of other emotions probably engulfed them as they walked through this experience.  

Have you ever found yourself asking the same kind of questions? “Where is God? Why isn’t He here yet? I thought He loved me? I thought that He said He’d always be there when I needed Him?” You are not alone. We all goes through times like that.

However, even in waiting, we must remember are not forgotten and He still loves us. This story reminds us:

3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”

But, look at what it says just 2 verse later:

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

He loved them SO He stayed where He was. Say what? That doesn’t make sense to us unless you read the rest of the story! Jesus knew what was going to happen and that this situation wouldn’t end in death’s advantage.

He knew that what was best for them was not for Him to rush in and save the day. He knew that there was a greater glory to be revealed.  He knew they had to wait, but He never stopped loving them.

He hasn’t stopped loving you either. Don’t stop trusting. Don’t stop believing.  You are not forgotten.

Next — what we learn in the waiting.