By Lillian Penner on April 6th, 2009 at 2:00 am
Does it seem to you that God is slow in answering your prayers at times?
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Is God’s timetable too slow for you sometimes? In John 11, we read about the death of Lazarus. Mary and Martha sent word to their dear beloved friend Jesus to let him know their brother Lazarus had become very ill. They expected him to come heal their brother but he did not come and they wondered why. However, Jesus had different plans, He told the disciples, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it”. He loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus very much but stayed in Galilee teaching and healing the sick.
Two days later Jesus told his disciples that it was time to go to Judea to see Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. When they arrived, they learned that Lazarus had been dead for four days. Martha told Jesus that if he had come sooner her brother would not have died. Nevertheless, Jesus went to the grave deeply moved, asking to have the stone removed from the tomb. Martha said, “But Lord, he’s been dead four days and stinketh”. Jesus told her “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God.” Then Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out” and Lazarus came out of the tomb.
We can learn several lessons from this story. When we pray asking God for something, we get discouraged as Mary and Martha did because he does not answer immediately or on our timetable. However, think of all the people that had the opportunity to be healed and hear Jesus teach during those two days, who would not have been healed, if he had left Galilee right away. Jesus was the God’s Son and knew the Father’s plan and His timetable. It was not God’s plan to heal Lazarus. He wanted to glorify his Son by raising Lazarus from the dead. Isn’t it great that when we think God is four days late by our timetable He is still on time?
Our finite minds simply cannot grasp God’s infinite ways of answering our prayers. We have no idea how many times we have prayed and He is waiting for the proper time to answer. Sometimes God needs to work on our hearts our character or another person before he can answer our prayer.
Are you getting tired of waiting on God to answer your prayers? Are you disappointed and frustrated because God is not answering on your timetable? Does God want to develop character in your life or in the lives of those for whom you are praying before He is ready to answer? We often have to remind ourselves that God’s way and timing are perfect. He knows best!
Dear Father, I want to thank you for privilege of bringing my concerns to you. Give me patience as I wait for you to work out your plan and your timing to answer my prayers. Help me to trust you and your Word as I grow in my confidence as I wait for you to answer. In Jesus Name, Amen
Questions: Is God’s timetable too slow for you sometimes? How do you respond when God does not answer your prayers according to your plans?
About the Author Lillian Penner
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