WHAT TO DO WHEN JESUS IS 4 DAYS LATE!

What do you do when Jesus is 4 days late? When we read the story of Lazarus in John 11, we can so easily focus on the turnaround that is the resurrection. But for a moment, let us focus on the death of Lazarus when everything went dark. Can you imagine the turmoil that must have been through Mary and Martha’s heads when they found out that their brother had died? The disappointment, the betrayal, and the anger? Here was their brother who was a friend of Jesus dead, because Jesus did not show up when He was supposed to. Although both Mary and Martha had witnessed and heard miracles performed by Jesus, they had not witnessed the resurrection. So it’s safe to say that when Lazarus died, they had lost all hope.

Earlier we see the message the sisters had sent to Jesus and how insistent they were telling Him how the one He loved was sick and that He should come and see Him. Imagine going through a challenging situation and the friend who claims to love you is nowhere to be found, only for them to appear when the crisis has hit a dead end. Obviously, the sisters were not happy with Jesus’ delay. But friend, the book of Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us that God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than ours.

The statement, “Lord, if you had been there, my brother would not have died.” reveals Mary’s vulnerability and honesty. Martha shared the same sentiment as well. The sisters were not afraid to tell Jesus what was in their hearts. They came to Him just as they were. They were not afraid to show Him their frustration and disappointment, too. Jesus wants you to go to Him just as you are. Your anger and disappointment will not offend him. That’s what a relationship is all about, being able to tell God what you are feeling and trusting that He will not ostracize you for your authenticity. Let’s look at what we need to do when we hit a dead end.

What to do when you hit a dead end and Jesus is late?

We have all, at one time, experienced dead ends. The situation looks so hopeless we have no way out. The beauty of Faith is us not trusting in our own capabilities but in Jesus and we can be confident that He will come through for us. Here are 3 things we can do when faced with an impossible situation:

• Be honest with Jesus
• Be easy with yourself when you lack the faith
• Ask Jesus, what He wants to reveal to you through the delay

Be honest with Jesus

Jesus was human. This means that He experienced all the emotions and situations human beings face. This means that He knows your pain, and He understands. When Mary fell at Jesus’ feet and wept, it moved Jesus with compassion. The act of falling down at Jesus’ feet symbolizes total surrender. Mary came undone at the feet of Jesus. Jesus wants to help you, but for Him to do so, He needs you to be undone in His presence. Do not hold back, just surrender it all to Him. When Jesus is late, the best thing you can do is to truth to Him and tell Him exactly what you feel.

After all, He knows all you are going through; He is all-knowing. The only way Jesus can heal you is when you come to Him in total surrender, unashamed and naked. The areas where you will experience healing and freedom are the ones you surrender to Jesus and are not afraid to tell Him where you are spiritually, emotionally, and in every other area of your life. It is okay to tell Jesus, what you are feeling. It is okay to tell Him your frustration, disappointment, and even anger.

God is not afraid of your emotions. He will not shun you or call you a nag. Other people might not understand you, but Jesus will. In the same way, He allowed Mary to weep at His feet, He will do the same for you, too. He can’t take it and He wants all of you, not just the areas that look pretty. He has what it takes to make you whole, but He wants you to come as you are and be real and raw with Him. Don’t tell Him what you think He wants to hear. Tell Him exactly what’s on your mind and in your heart. When Jesus is late. Don’t be afraid to open up to Him and be vulnerable with Him.

Be easy with yourself when you lack Faith.

Although Mary and Martha knew Jesus as Lord, and also as a miracle worker, they did not have the faith to believe in the resurrection. That is why when Jesus told Martha that her brother would rise again, she thought He meant He would on the last day. http://bible.us/1/jhn11.22,23,24,25,26,27.amp. Sometimes difficult situations can overwhelm us to the point we lose faith. Although we know Jesus performs miracles, we can doubt Him and think that He is unwilling to help us. Extend grace to yourself when Jesus is late.

But friend, I want you to know that even in your unbelief, Jesus wants to move in your circumstances. Although Mary and Martha did not have faith in the resurrection, Jesus did it anyway. In our weakness, His strength is enough. In our unbelief, His Faith is enough. http://bible.us/1/2co12.10.amp

Jesus said that even faith that is as small as a mustard seed is enough to move mountains, and that is true. One thing we need to realize is that there are moments when both doubt and faith can cohabitate. The point, however, is to not let the faith grow cold. As long as there is a flicker of hope and faith, God can work in and through it. Jesus fed a multitude of 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. Just imagine what He can do with the faith that is small as a mustard seed.

God knew that Abraham at some point doubted that He would ever be a father. He even went to the extent of asking God to bless Ishmael, because he thought that would be his promise. God did not disqualify him. No! He encouraged Abraham with the promise to where He solidified the covenant.

15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” 17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” 19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.[d] I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 

²⁰ And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. ²¹ But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” ²² When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. Genesis 17:15-22

Ask Him to show you a fresh revelation of Him when Jesus is late.

Mary and Martha all along knew Jesus as the healer. They had never known Him as the resurrection. No wonder when Jesus told Mary that her brother would be resurrected, Martha’s response was yes, he would. Friend, God wants you to have a deeper revelation of who He is through some things He takes you through and especially in the delay. When Jesus is late, trust that He wants to reveal another aspect of who He is that you did not know beforehand.

Maybe you’ve only known God in one aspect, but now it seems like He is delaying in responding to your situation. Maybe He wants to reveal to you a different dimension of who He is. There are moments when knowing about God and His miracles is not enough. When God wants to mature you, He will fail to show up in ways that you expect Him to so that He can reveal Himself to you in ways you never knew Him as.

Also, God could be delayed because He does not want you to idolize one aspect of Him, but get to see Him in His fullness. Jesus is not only a healer but also The Resurrection and comforter too. Mary would never have known Jesus as the comforter if Jesus had shown up when she thought He should. The crowd would never have been saved if Lazarus had only experienced healing.

Also, people would never have seen the human aspect of Jesus had Lazarus only experienced healing. That the crowd saw Jesus weep proved to them that Jesus was compassionate and also felt the pain. It is when your heart is broken that you can experience the God who never leaves you nor forsakes you or even the God who is close to the broken-hearted. You can cry out to Jesus when you are hurting because He also experienced all these human emotions, and He understands what you are feeling. Isn’t it amazing to know that you and my High Priest experienced all the human emotions yet did not sin? He is your advocate because He understands it all.

This should also solidify the fact that Jesus wants you to come to Him as you are. He has seen it all and is ready to help you out.

The key takeaway from the story of Lazarus ‘

With God, everything is possible.

Lazarus had been dead for 4 days, there was a stench in the tomb yet, God raised him. What hopeless situation are you facing today? Even when it seems hopeless, Jesus can turn it around. Are you ready to see a turnaround? Give it to Jesus. He always has the final say. When you lose all hope, Jesus will make a way for you. Dear one hold on to Jesus. He sees your pain, and He wants to show out in your life just like He did in Mary and Martha’s lives. I pray this word encourages you.

Jesus is not afraid of the stench. In the same way, He sought Lazarus despite the stench of the grave. He will do the same for you. It does not matter how bad things look or how far gone you may have gone, Jesus can still turn it all around. He says in His word that everything will work out for your good. And He means it. One of the most beautiful aspects of Jesus is His not allowing any situation to go to waste. He will use even the most hopeless situation for your good.

When Jesus is late hold on to the truth of who you know Him to be. He can do anything. He is waiting for you to catch up with who He is. When all hope is lost, trust that God will not fail you. He might be late on your schedule, but in His schedule, He is right on time.

Just look at Lazarus. His story in the natural was over. But the minute Jesus stepped into the scene, everything changed. You only need one word from Jesus to see everything shift in your favor. If Lazarus, who had been dead for 4 days was raised to life, surely God can do anything. What hopeless situation are you facing today? What dead thing are you experiencing today? Turn to Jesus, He can make the impossible possible because He is the resurrection and the power that raises Jesus from the dead lives inside you.

One word, from Jesus. Things change on Jesus’ authority. The word of God is true. Heaven will prevail! Strongholds will be moved. Spirits will be silenced and cower at His roar. For when your God is for you, you have nothing to fear. And nothing will deny Him the glory that is His!