He Loved Yet He Lingered

written by my sister, Ruth Lauridsen

“Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus,…Therefore his sisters sent unto him saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God,… When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was…Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead…Then … Jesus came…Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”     —John 11

As we look at this story, we see two ladies who are friends of Jesus. Their brother was sick. We see that Jesus has been told that Lazarus is sick, But we also see that Jesus stayed where He was until it “was too late” and Lazarus was dead.

It seemed like Jesus didn’t care up until now, What? He was supposed to be Lazarus’ friend, How come He didn’t come and heal Lazarus straight away? It didn’t seem fair, it seemed like Jesus had let them down. But if we take a closer look, we see that Jesus had already said “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”

Jesus did arrive on the scene and yes, He did care about Mary and Martha. He wept with them, and amazingly He brought Lazarus back to life. Isn’t that an example to us? We pray to God concerning something and He never turns up. “Why God?” “I thought you cared” “This sickness isn’t going away” “This relationship isn’t getting any better” “I still haven’t got a job” “I still haven’t gotten married, LORD”  

But don’t fret, dear friend. Hope on, pray on, when you pray but all seems the same with no change. Wait patiently for Him. Keep your heart soft. Let Him act in His own time and let Him be glorified. Remember Jesus does hear His own when they call and He will act in His Own time.

 Right On Time

They sent for Jesus, “Your friend’s about to die”

But tarried He still on behind, so they laid Lazarus in the tomb and they said their last Good bye. Then coming down the road was Jesus right on time.

Just hold on my Child because He’s not too far away, and He knows your need before you pray. So when your feet are weary from the mountain you have climbed, Look ahead here comes Jesus right on time!

I’ve struggled  through life’s desert. They were so hot and dry till they seemed all hope was gone and I would die. And I wondered where was He? Is He still a friend of mine. But coming down the road was Jesus right on time.

           (I'm not sure who the songwriter is)

God's Time

 God’s time is never wrong,

 Never too fast nor too slow;

 The planets move to its steady pace

 As the centuries come and go,

Let us set our clocks by Gods,

And order our lives by His ways,

And nothing can come and nothing can go

Too soon or too late in our day.

    —Annie Johnson Flint—