I'm certain that you've read or have heard of the man named Lazarus. Lazarus was a friend of Jesus who became very ill. When he wasn't recovering his sisters, Mary and Martha, sent for Jesus with the hope that Lazarus would be healed. But Jesus didn't arrive in time.
By the time Jesus arrived in the town where the three siblings lived, Lazarus had sadly already passed away 4 days before! Mary, Martha and the locals were in the midst of mourning for Lazarus when word came that Jesus had arrived. Martha immediately ran to him.
Her first words to Jesus were: "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." (John 11:21)
Martha's first thought was that Jesus failed her. If he had been there her brother would still be alive and kicking, but no. Jesus didn't come through on time so now she was in this great sorrow!
How often have you felt that way? That you prayed, you sought open doors, you begged God to get there and to work before it was too late; yet, no matter how hard you tried nothing happened. God failed you...or did he?
What happened next in the story is something Martha never expected.
How often have you felt that way? That you prayed, you sought open doors, you begged God to get there and to work before it was too late; yet, no matter how hard you tried nothing happened. God failed you...or did he?
What happened next in the story is something Martha never expected.
"Jesus said, 'ake ye
away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him,
Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?"
John 11:39-40
Notice the underlined part of that verse. Jesus gently reminds Martha that she must keep believing in order to see the glory of God- even long after it seems possible. When it's hard to believe that God will come through you must not give up. For the only way to see God come through is by believing that he will work! What is that belief called? Faith.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Hebrews11:1
Read the rest of Hebrews 11 to see what faith did for people in the bible. Sometimes I like to do that just to remind myself of what God has done and still can do!
"...but with God all things are possible."
Matthew 19:26b
The only things preventing God from working is us! And yes, it is much harder when it feels like he hasn't come through on time. But remember, God is not on our time table. he sees a much bigger picture than we could ever imagine!
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord."
Isaiah 55:8
Keep believing that God's Got This and that he is one time...maybe not our time...his timing is perfect.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Hebrews11:1
Read the rest of Hebrews 11 to see what faith did for people in the bible. Sometimes I like to do that just to remind myself of what God has done and still can do!
"...but with God all things are possible."
Matthew 19:26b
The only things preventing God from working is us! And yes, it is much harder when it feels like he hasn't come through on time. But remember, God is not on our time table. he sees a much bigger picture than we could ever imagine!
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord."
Isaiah 55:8
Keep believing that God's Got This and that he is one time...maybe not our time...his timing is perfect.
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