UNDERSTANDING GOD’S TIME
“When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4 NKJV)
When Lazarus of Bethany, the brother of Martha and Mary, was sick; his sisters sent a distress message to Jesus, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” (John 11:3 NKJV). Their expectation was that Jesus would respond immediately and come over to heal their brother Lazarus;but contrary to their expectation, Jesus stayed two more days where He was before leaving for Bethany to attend to their request and by the time He got to Bethany, Lazarus was already dead and stinking in the grave. Did Jesus arrive late? Certainly not! He came at the set time, the time His Father wanted Him to show up at Bethany, but certainly not Mary and Martha’s set time. Like Martha and Mary, many times we also have been in a desperate situation that demanded immediate divine intervention, but which never came at our set or fixed time. Honestly, that could be very frustrating and discouraging. I have been in a desperate situation when I was seeking, praying and believing God for a prompt intervention, yet for reasons best known to Him, God would not show up according to my set time. However, as it was in the case of Martha and Mary, God later showed up and manifested His power and glory when all hope seemed lost. At such times, I could not help but wonder and ask: “Why did God wait this long before showing up?”
Most times, when in desperate need or desperate situation, we don’t care who gets the glory or takes the credit as long as we get what we want, but God cares so much about who gets the glory or takes the credit for what He does for us or through us. Therefore, until the stage is set for God alone to be glorified in our life and situation; God will not show up. Beloved, as much as God is willing to attend promptly to your passionate and desperate cry for help, for His glory’s sake He will always wait until you have come to the end of your self-wisdom, strength, plans or strategies, so that no flesh would be glorified with Him. God will never compete with you or anyone in your life for the glory due to Him. This is the reason why God always waits patiently until all those you have trusted to help you have failed or disappointed you before He shows up to help you.
When there is still something or someone on the stage trying to play “God”; the time is not yet set for the Almighty God to show up and perform His wonders. God is too big to share the stage with anyone or anything in your life in order to help you. It is therefore your responsibility to ensure the stage is set or cleared for only God before you call upon Him to intervene in your situation.
Liberation thought:
Further reading:
Prayer:
Father, open my inner eyes to understand your glorious time for me
Oh God of Dr Chris, let me not miss my appointed time of breakthrough in this year of Milk and Honey
Amem.