while today

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was” (John 11:5-6 NASB95).

Have you ever been in a very difficult situation and wondered, “Why hasn’t God helped me yet?” Have you ever thought, “If God loves me, why won’t He act?”  I believe the above verses can shed some light on these kinds of honest questions.  These words were written about the illness of Jesus’ beloved friend, Lazarus. When Lazarus became ill, his sisters, Mary and Martha, sent word to Jesus.  But when Jesus received the news, He waited for two days before leaving for Judea.  Why did Jesus delay?

One reason was because Jesus knew that He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, and in raising Lazarus, both God and the Son would be glorified (John 11:4). This great miracle was also going to create faith in the disciples and in others who witnessed the miracle (John 11:15, 45). 

But there is another reason, related to the first, why Jesus delayed.  He waited because He loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.  Notice the flow of the verses:  Jesus loved them, so (or therefore) He stayed two days longer.  One might think the verse would read, “Jesus loved them, and so as soon as He heard about Lazarus, He left immediately to help.”  But such is not the case.  It was because of His love for them that He stayed.  He stayed so that they could see the glory of God.  He stayed so that their faith could be built up in a profound way.

There is a deep lesson here for us:  Jesus’ love is demonstrated to us not by taking all our problems away, but by letting us see His glory in the midst of our problems.  Mary and Martha got to witness the glory of God in one of the darkest times of their lives, and it built their faith. What about you and me?  Is there anything Jesus could do that is more loving than letting us see His glory?

If you are going through difficulties in life, know that Jesus cares deeply for you.  He loves you.  Our pain deeply moves Him (John 11:33). Let us never doubt His great love for us, even when we’re wondering why He has delayed. It may be that, in times of difficulty, He is helping us to see His glory more clearly. May God help us to see it!

—Scott Colvin