In John 11 we are told of three siblings Lazarus, Mary and Martha. Lazarus was sick and the sisters sent for Jesus with the expectation that he would be healed. Their message to Jesus was "Lord, your dear friend is very sick".
John 11:1-3
"A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. This is the Mary who later poured expensive perfume on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus was sick. So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, Lord, your dear friend is very sick."
At this moment, can you see Mary and Martha? They are filled with hope and expectation that their Lord, will heal Lazarus. I mean they know who Jesus is, the Messiah, the Son of God who came into the world from God, so there was no need to worry (John11:27). BUT what happens?! Even though Jesus loved these siblings he waited, and it wasn't just a 5 min, 1 hr, or day wait, it was two more days before he went!
John 11:4-6
"But when Jesus heard about it he said, Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this. So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days. Finally, he said to his disciples, Let's go back to Judea."
Reading this portion of the story tells me that God isn't worried or rushed by what I deem as urgent or necessary. There was urgency in the voice of the sisters, their brother is very sick and they need Jesus NOW! part of me wants to be like " that's God you are talking to, how can you say that" but on the other hand I see that I can do this exact thing although it may look a little different.... "God, my relationship status is crumbling you have to act now, before it's too late!"..."God, these application responses aren't looking good, I only have so long before it's too late!"..."God, what are you doing, it's too late for such and such to happen"..."God, so much time has passed, it's too late for me to change"....
You see it's the "it's too late" mindset that will keep you from participating in or seeing the blessings of God, if you allow it to do so. When Jesus finally made it to Bethany in Judea, Lazarus had been in his grave for four days. Mary and Marthas first words were "You are too late!! If only..."
John 11: 20-32
"When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask. Jesus told her your brother will rise again. Yes, Martha said, he will rise when everyone else rises at the last day. Jesus told her, I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this Martha? Yes Lord, she told him. I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God. Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, The Teacher is here and wants to see you. So Mary immediately went to him. Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus's grave to weep. So they followed her there. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus she fell at his feet and said Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."
Now even when writing this I can see the heart posture of each sister and I am reminded of the same Martha and Mary story back in Luke 10. Martha is busy trying to prepare for Jesus and disciples, Mary is at Jesus feet listening to his words. Now in John 11, both sisters are filled with sorrow and questions. Martha says to Jesus you are too late and even now I still believe. Mary falls at the feet of Jesus and tells Jesus her sorrow and disappointment. It's in these times of uncertainty, questions, and concern that you must remember and know who is your Lord. Who is the one that has the final say? Who is the one that has a faithfulness that will never falter?
As Jesus goes to the grave site, he tells the people to "Roll the stone aside!" Wait, what? Martha jumps in (typical Martha) to remind Jesus, in essence, that Lazarus has been dead four days, he surely smells and is decomposing, you don't want to move that stone!
John 11: 39
"Roll the stone aside, Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man's sister, protested, Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible."
...Isn't it funny how sometimes we forget that God knows what He is doing, nothing takes him by surprise and he never makes a mistake. It can be hard to remember that when you have unmet expectations. In your mind you have already been let down, things didn't go the way they were suppose to go. I was suppose to have that job, I was suppose to have that raise, I was suppose to be in that location, I was suppose to have that life....In essence God, you made a mistake, you got it wrong, I had a plan and this is not it!
And so when we find ourselves in this mindset of "God is too late, God you have made a mistake, God this isn't according to my plan", we then become quick to stop or turn away from God's perfect plan. You see the blessing, the answered prayer for Martha and Mary was just behind that stone. The same stone Martha is shouting saying, NO, don't move that! The only thing behind there is death, dissatisfaction and sorrow!
BUT GOD!!...But God is never late, never wrong, always faithful, and always right on time! Thank you Jesus!
Thankfully, Jesus' response wasn't "Oh you don't want me to move this stone? okay. And walk off". He asks Martha, in essence, if she believed his word. And Jesus continued to be faithful. Faithful to show his power, faithful to answer prayer in the only right way even when the sisters wanted an answer their specific way.
John 11:40-44
"Jesus responded, Didn't I tell you that you would see God's glory if you believe? So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out lout for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me. Then Jesus shouted, Lazarus, come out! And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, Unwrap him and let him go!"
AMEN and AMEN.
So I sit here today with a prayer on my heart, asking God to Roll the Stones Aside in my heart. The places I have deemed as dead, speak life into them. You are the resurrection and the life Jesus, all who trust in you are made alive. I am not just made partially alive, all of me must come to life because in you is life and you are in me. Thank you Lord for the victory! You have called me a child of God. I can come to you with my prayers, concerns, worries and doubts and you will hear me and answer.
