18. Jesus’ Timing

Confronting Anxiety Meditations No.18: Jesus’ timing

Jn 11:6 “when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.”

Trusting God No.2: I said at the start of the previous study that we are going to go through a series of studies that might come under the general umbrella title of ‘Trusting God’, so this is number 2, as we continue to reflect on aspects of life – yes, as believers – that can cause us anxiety, so we may then move on to think about how to deal with that. Here we are now looking at how we cope when either Jesus doesn’t appear to turn up for us, or he appears to delay in fulfilling a promise or, maybe even, when he doesn’t seem to be answering our legitimate prayers.

The Different Records: In the New Testament the incident involving Lazarus reveals this very clearly, an incident not recorded by the Synoptic Gospels, probably because Lazarus was still alive and still struggled with the fame or notoriety in respect of what had happened. But John writes much later and so it is probable that Lazarus had now gone to glory. It was all about his death and Jesus raising him from the dead which had been a big event in the weeks before Jesus’ final week in Jerusalem, no doubt being one of the major factors that prompted the religious authorities to move against him.

Confusing Circumstances: But it is what preceded that that we are looking at now. The plea came to Jesus from Mary and Martha to come because their brother was seriously ill, and our starter verse records his response. Instead of breaking camp and making for Bethany as fast as they could, he purposely stays where they are. Now of course when we have such a situation and we cry to the Lord for help, so often we let the enemy whisper lies to us – “He doesn’t care, you’re on your own.”

Jesus’ Controlled Strategy: But it is the word ‘purposely’ that I inserted above that gives the clue to what is really happening. Look at Jesus’ explanation: “When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (11:4) Jesus obviously caught the Father’s intention behind what is happening. (Remember we saw that Jesus only did what his Father in heaven led him into – Jn 5:17,19). Note the words, “will not end”, for death will occur but that will not be the end of it; Jesus is surely going to raise him from the dead, but before that can happen, Lazarus has got to die. When Jesus raises him, this will cause such a furor that it will provoke the authorities to being about Jesus’ death. Remember what Peter preached, “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.” (Acts 2:23) So, lesson number one, Jesus always acts according to a divine plan and if he appears to be inactive, there is a good reason for it!

Samuel & Saul: Now perhaps the Old Testament equivalent is what happened between Samuel and Saul. Samuel had said he would come to Saul to help and encourage him as he prepared for battle against their enemies (1 Sam 13:8) – apparently within seven days, but as the seventh day wore on, Samuel had not appeared. Saul ran out of patience and decided to take action himself, which involved him offending the Law and acting as a priest (which he wasn’t). For this he was rebuked by Samuel and told that God would replace him with His own man (David).

Responses to Timing Questions: So there we have two situations where timing appears important. In the first, anxiety (as there surely was – see Jn 11:21,32) was caused by a) failure to realise Jesus can redeem any situation – even one requiring a resurrection, and b) failure to realise that Jesus had a plan, a much bigger plan that involved provoking the authorities to being about his death! In the second situation it was merely a matter of impatience and careless regard for God’s Law.

Sarai & Abram: But there is an even more powerful illustration of failure to appreciate timing and God’s abilities which had monumental consequences, and we refer to Sarai  who gave up on waiting to conceive in accordance with God’s promise. Indeed she blamed God for it (Gen 16:2) and so suggested that Abram had a child through her servant girl, Haggar, which turned out to be a son who bred the Arab nations who have been hostile to Israel ever since. And yes, she did subsequently conceive and Isaac, the ‘son of promise’ (Gal 4:28) was born from whom the nation of Israel later came.

And us? Most commonly, I suspect, this applies in matters of prayer when we pray and pray, and God seems inactive. In charismatic circles it probably occurs when a word is shared but time goes by, and you almost give up on it ever happening. More generally, I suspect it occurs when we are just frustrated with the slowness of church life changing.

Lessons to be Learnt: We need to learn that, yes, God does know best. Sometimes (i) God delays because He is waiting for changes in us, or our circumstances to alter, before He acts. Sometimes (ii) He wants to teach us to learn to be patient. Sometimes (iii) we have been asking Him to do things that would require Him to override the free will of others, and He will not do that. Sometimes (iv) we just fail to see the bigger picture and so want things to happen that are contrary to the direction or the means that God is working for.

And So… In all cases we need to learn patience and submission to God’s ways. I speak here as one whom the Lord gently chided when he said that so often a word had hardly left His mouth before I was off running to go for it, and I needed to learn to hear His voice, “Wait, no, go now.” A lesson that takes a long time to learn. You’re in good company.