Daily Devotional For Friday, January 10, 2025
For the last few days we have been looking at prayer. In John 11, we see that Jesus prayed and used it as a means to convince Mary & Martha and others that God had sent Him. But prior to that, things got tense and then they got worse. Jesus got word that one of His best friends and strongest supporters was sick and needed healing. Jesus was not far from Lazarus, but Jesus waited until Lazarus had not only died, but had been dead for 4 days.
Look at how the Bible records this in John 11:4-6:
“When Jesus heard it, He said, 'This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’ (5) Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. (6) So when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was” (CSB).
To some, Jesus might have seemed callous and cold to Mary & Martha’s request. Jesus might have seemed uncaring and unloving towards Lazarus. That may be the way things appeared to others, but that is not the way they were. Jesus already knew what He was going to do. To Him, though Lazarus’ body had died, Lazarus was not dead at all. Look at John 11:19-22:
“Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. (20) As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him, but Mary remained seated in the house. (21) Then Martha said to Jesus, `Lord, if You had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. (22) Yet even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You’” (CSB).
Did you notice the different reactions of the two sisters? Martha ran to Jesus to greet Him in faith. Mary remained inside the house, possibly angry and faithless. Anytime we have a loved one in another town dying, we will drop everything to get there. So, I understand Mary’s reaction and so do you. Later when they get to the tomb and Jesus asks them to roll this huge heavy stone away, Martha;s reaction is: ““Lord, there is already a stench because he has been dead four days” (John 11:39, CSB).
Jesus knew what Jews in His day believed. They had a myth that was widely believed as truth that when a Jew died, their spirit stayed around the grave for 3 days. They believed that if you could get a prophet of God or a rabbi there during those 3 days, it was possible for God to raise that person to life. But after 3 days, they believed it was impossible. So Jesus waited until in everyone’s mind the clock had run out to prove He was the Messiah – the Resurrection and the Life (John11:25).
You can imagine everyone’s reaction when the stone was rolled away? That stench permeated the air. Gasps probably and doubt . . . until Jesus brought Lazarus back to life. So, why did Jesus wait? Look at John 11:40, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” (CSB). The miracle was not done just for Mary, Martha and Lazarus, but to bring glory to God. Sometimes while we are waiting on God to answer a prayer, He is waiting on us to trust Him so that whenever and however He answers our prayers, He gets the glory for it.
The story of Lazarus is about more than Jesus bringing a dead man back to life. After Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He waited two days before He began the journey to him. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb, and he walked out. But why did Jesus wait so long to arrive? And why did He pray aloud? “Father, I thank You that You heard Me. (42) I know that You always hear Me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so that they may believe You sent Me.” (vv. John 11:41b-42).
Jesus knew that His Father would hear His prayer, and we can know that He will hear our prayers, too. We can rest in the knowledge that God will do whatever is necessary to accomplish His will—in His time and using whatever means He prefers. We may not always understand the “when, how, and why.” But we can trust that He is at work and that His plan will help people believe in Him.
Questions To Consider
- What prayers have you had to wait on God to answer? How did you feel as you waited? How did you respond while you were waiting?
- Yes, Jesus could have got there earlier and simply healed Lazarus of his sickness, but then, no one would have had the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. What does this tell you about how God answers prayer and when?
- When God answers any of our prayers, it is to bring Him glory and people to Christ. Do you always make sure that others see that you give God the credit for answered prayers?
- Jesus intentionally waited for all hope of bringing Lazarus back to life in everyone’s eyes had died to answer their prayer. When has God done that to you and how did you respond? Did you see then it was better that God answered your prayer when He did rather than when you wanted? Why or why not?
Scripture To Meditate On: John 11:25-26, Jesus said, “I am the Resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. (26) Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (CSB).
Prayer To Pray: “Heavenly Father, You are a faithful God who delivers Your people, whose challenges and cries do not go unnoticed by You. There is much I don’t know or understand, and troublesome questions I carry. But I will not be disheartened or discouraged. I will praise Your name to declare my faith in You, confident You are well able to deliver and heal. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly