But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”
JOHN 11:4
“We must get word to Him,” Mary told her sister Martha. “He will come,” she said confidently. The two sisters lived with their brother Lazarus in Bethany, and he was very sick. So sick, they knew he would die without the help of Jesus. Jesus was a good friend, and they had watched Him perform many healing miracles. Surely He would come, even though coming back to Judea could be dangerous. The last time He was in Jerusalem, the religious leaders tried to kill Him. He fled with His disciples beyond the Jordan to the area of Perea. “Tell the Lord His dear friend is very sick,” she instructed the messenger. Surely, He will come.
She watched and waited. Surely, He will come. He cares for us. She helped Martha comfort their brother. Surely, He will come. But Lazarus was running out of time. With each of Lazarus’s breaths growing more labored, Mary’s confidence went from anxiety to anger, and finally, to devastation. He didn’t come. And Lazarus died.
They prepared his body, wrapped him in grave clothes, and placed him in the family tomb. They grieved. And all the while, Mary struggled to understand. Was it too dangerous? There must be some reason. Four days after Lazarus had been in his grave, they heard from some friends who had come from Jerusalem to comfort them that Jesus was coming. “You go meet Him,” Mary said to her sister. She waited with their visitors for her sister to return. I don’t understand. I saw Him heal the sick. Surely, He would have come to save His dear friend. As her guests consoled her, she looked wistfully out the window, not understanding yet somehow knowing there was an explanation.
Martha was back. Mary jumped up, eager to hear what Jesus told her. Martha called her aside. “I told Him if He had been here, our brother would not have died,” she began. “And I told Him that even now, God will give Him whatever He asks for.” She hesitated. “Mary, He told me our brother will rise again! He said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.’ He asked if I believed Him.” Martha’s face was alive with faith. “I told Him yes, I have always believed He is the Messiah, the Son of God!” Then Martha said, “He wants to see you.”
Mary left immediately for the outskirts of the village where He was staying. Martha followed behind, along with their guests who assumed by her haste that she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. When Mary found Jesus, she fell at His feet in anguish and cried out, “Lord, if only You had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the others wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within Him. And He wept with her. At His request, she led Him to the tomb. The mourners followed, murmuring to each other, “See how much He loved him!” But others said out loud what Mary was secretly wondering. “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t He have kept Lazarus from dying?”
Jesus was still angry when they arrived at the tomb. “Roll the stone aside,” He ordered. Martha protested, “Lord, the smell will be terrible!” Unfazed, Jesus said, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” As they rolled the stone aside, He looked up to heaven and prayed, “Father, thank You for hearing Me. You always hear Me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe You sent Me.” Then He shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” With her eyes transfixed on the entrance of the cave, Mary was astonished to see her brother emerge, wrapped in grave clothes and very much alive! “Unwrap him and let him go!” Jesus said (John 11:1–44).
In contrast to Martha’s confident faith, Mary wondered for all of us. Why does He delay when our needs are so desperate and so obvious? When our time is running out? He waited to come to Lazarus, not because He feared the religious leaders, and not because He was callous and didn’t care. On the contrary, He grieved along with Mary, sharing her sorrow and even her anger at death itself. He waited because He knew Lazarus would die, and He would perform an amazing miracle for His glory. Through this miracle, Jesus showed He had power over death, and that even physical death can’t take away the life we have in Him. Many believed in Him after this miracle (John 11:45), and it was foundational to the Christian faith—He is indeed the resurrection and the life, and anyone who believes in Him will never die (John 11:25).
When healing doesn’t come, and when God doesn’t move on your timeline or in the way you expect, He may have a greater purpose. He may be allowing your situation to reach the point of death because He is planning on doing something only He can do, something so powerful and wonderful that it could come only from the hand of God. In times of waiting, you can trust He will always meet your needs (Philippians 4:19). Your delay may have a purpose, all for His glory.
Lord, sometimes I feel like Mary. I know You love me. I know You care for me. I know You know how desperate I am. Lord, time is slipping by and I need You to come now! I don’t always understand when the Jesus I know, the Jesus who loves and cares for me, doesn’t move in the way I expect. Help me to always trust in Your goodness, Lord, especially in times of delay. Thank You that You will supply all my needs from Your glorious riches given to me in Christ.
Lord, You are indeed the resurrection and the life! Thank You that You conquered death once and for all and that in You, I live forever. When I don’t understand Your timeline, help me to know You have a greater purpose. Help me to believe and see Your glory.