In his book Scandalous, D.A. Carson makes an astute observation about an account of Jesus’ life that left his contemporaries as well as many modern readers baffled. In the Gospel of John, the author sets the scene (John 11:1-43). Jesus learns that His friend Lazarus is sick. He knows that the journey to Bethany where Lazarus resides will take a few days. However, instead of departing right away, Jesus waits. When he finally does arrive, his friend has been dead for four days. Both of Lazarus’ sisters question why Jesus did not arrive sooner, trusting that, if He had, He would have been able to prevent their beloved brother’s death. They expected that Christ’s love would cause Him to hasten to Lazarus’ beside. Instead, as Carson observed, Jesus’ love caused Him to wait. They wanted Jesus to respond quickly to prevent Lazarus’ demise; instead, Jesus had something far greater planned. His delay may have seemed like indifference; however, it was not. Instead, His delay put His love on display.
What was true for Lazarus and his sisters is often true when it seems God fails to act amidst the trials of our lives. We are tempted to see His slow response as ambivalence, or perhaps, something worse. But God is never indifferent towards His kids. If it seems that God is slow in responding to our petitions, if it seems like He lingers when He should hasten to intervene, it isn’t because of a lack of care or concern. Instead, we often experience His love more deeply and more fully through the delays. He may not give us what we want when we want it because He has planned something far greater than we can ask for or imagine (Eph. 3:20). Instead of hastening to oblige our desires, He does a better work that results in His glory and our good.
When it seems that God’s work in our lives is taking longer than it should, when it seems like He is slow to answer our petitions and pleas, may we remember that the delays and the waits are often God’s love on display. What seems like a slow response, is really the fulfillment of His good plans.
