Waiting Days

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Reading in the Gospel of John in Chapter 11, two sentences really stood out to me..."Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was." (verses 5 and 6). It is true that previous in this chapter Jesus had told the disciples that Lazarus's illness did not lead to death and that it was for the glory of God yet when I read verses 5 and 6 I was struck with the reality of those two days for Martha and Mary. Everyone loves. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus love Jesus and Jesus loves them back. And because of the love Jesus feels, he did not respond right away. Ouch.

How do you proceed through these days of delay? Their reality was that they asked for help for their brother and they did not receive it to prevent Lazarus from dying. Scripture indicates that Lazarus was in the tomb for four days when Jesus arrived.

In the preparation for writing this I did some searching regarding positivity - can that type mindset get you through this type grief and disappointment by being positive in your thinking when something very negative is happening. I read through some 50 Positive Affirmations to Add to Your Daily Rotation (Oprah magazine). One of the quotes I was quite surprised to see listed knowing that the quote came from a person who committed suicide..."Every day above earth is a good day" - Ernest Hemingway in the Old Man and the Sea. That was interesting. How about this one? "I am the greatest. I said that before I knew I was" - Muhammad Ali. Lastly, this one caught my eye, "You create your thoughts, your thoughts create your intentions, and your intentions create your reality" - Wayne Dyer.

I know there is a real benefit to set your mind on a "glass half-full" concept of life. I recently wrote something about brooding over things - I don't advise that tactic when you are troubled. But as a Christian can we find real strength to endure sorrowful and troubling upheavals in our lives by utilizing the slogans of the world, even quotes from successful people, at least successful when you view them through this worlds eyes.

In the story of Lazarus being brought back to life there is a mix of human perceptions shown throughout the entire story (verses 1-53). After Jesus heard about Lazarus He tells the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again". The disciples did not want Him to go because they had just left there, escaping the Jews who wanted to arrest Him. When the disciples understand that they are going Thomas thinks that they were going there to die with Jesus. When they get to Bethany, Martha comes out to greet Jesus, Mary stays put in the house. When Jesus speaks to Martha upon His arrival He tells Martha that her brother will rise again. She responds that she knows that Lazarus will rise again in the resurrection, not understanding that Jesus meant now, today. And Jesus calls Lazarus forth and Lazarus lives again.

After the miracle there are two reactions from the Jews. The first is that many who saw the miracle believed in Jesus, but some went to the Pharisees to tell them what had transpired. So the chief priests and Pharisees gathered the council together to discuss the situation and it is at this council that the definite plan to kill Jesus is born, Caiaphas saying that it would be best for the nation to kill Jesus.

Jesus deliberately delayed His return to Bethany. He had in mind obedience to the future display of the glory of God by raising Lazarus from the dead. The disciples misunderstood. When Jesus arrived and told Martha that her brother would rise again, she misunderstood. And when Caiaphas, the chief priest unknowingly prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, he definitely misunderstood even what he himself was saying. Within all these opinions and perspectives there is a truth greater than the moment which we can't see. Jesus knew that He was delaying answering the call to come heal Lazarus for a greater purpose. Caiaphas did not know he was prophesying. One is a divine perspective, the other is a human perspective that unknowingly points to a divine one.

And so what is my point? At the inception of my motivation to write about this were my thoughts regarding the feeling of confusion that must have happened to Martha and Mary in the delay by Jesus. At that moment in my life it hit me like a direct connection with the Holy Spirit. When Jesus heard about the need, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was. What I had been thinking and praying about was still an unsolved need in my life. And yet reading this was a loving reminder that when God hears, He knows best when to come.