Why the Wait?

Lazarus and his family were very dear to Jesus. He loved this family, He fellowshipped with this family, they were good friends. Yet when Jesus heard Lazarus was sick, dying in fact, He did not immediately drop what He was doing to go to Lazarus; He waited two days.

Why the wait? Was He waiting for the sisters to perform some act of faith? Was He waiting for Lazarus to repent of some sin? Was he waiting for them to learn some lesson? Absolutely Not!! These are modern day explanations and cannot be supported under the New Testament. So why did Jesus delay?

When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He said, “This sickness will not end in death but it is so God will be glorified.” Jesus delayed because He knew the end. He did not react because the Father had already told Him, “Lazarus would not die.” Jesus walked through this difficult circumstance, His friend being deathly ill, with complete peace because He believed the word of the Lord.

Are you walking through a difficult situation? Find out what God is saying about your situation. Go into His presence and get a word. Then trust that word. Do not be tossed to and fro by your circumstance. Do not allow what you see, the emotions of others, to cause you to react. Stand in faith, knowing if God has promised, He will bring it to pass. Remember, “Your circumstance will not lead to death but it is for God’s glory that God’s Son might be glorified through it!”

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” (‭John‬ ‭11‬:‭5-7‬ NIV)