John 11:40 “Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”
At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus is speaking to Martha, whose brother has died four days earlier. Jesus had not come when summoned by her, but now He had arrived and was standing before the sealed grave. With a broken heart, Martha had just lamented that if Jesus had been there earlier, Lazarus would not have died. In her heart, she believed that Jesus could have healed her brother had He been present before his death. When Jesus asked that the stone be removed, Martha reminded Him that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. In this tender moment, Jesus reminded Martha that He had told her before that if she truly believed in Him, she would see God’s glory.
I can imagine her tear-streaked face looking up into the compassionate eyes of Jesus, and in that moment, she has a glimpse of the truth of what He had said. She steps back without another word, holding on to the hope of something she can’t quite comprehend. She hears His prayer to His father, and then she hears Jesus speak three unbelievable words that have resonated throughout time from that day forward: “Lazarus, come forth!”
I often see myself as a modern-day Martha. Like her, I struggle with the concept of praying to God, asking for His help, and then not receiving a timely answer. I have prayed many times for the “Lord to come” and meet a particular need… maybe health related, maybe financial, maybe something personal… but He tarries, and I don’t understand why. Like Martha, I cry out to God that if He had answered when I had prayed to Him, the outcomes of my situations would have been different… more to what I had desired.
But then, the Holy Spirit reminds me through God’s Word that my current understanding is “through a glass, darkly,” where “I know in part” (1 Corinthians 13:12). I don’t see the big picture. I see just a tiny portion of the work. My viewpoint is egocentric. Martha believed Jesus loved Lazarus, and that He could and would do anything for him. When she sent for the Lord, she believed He would come and heal Lazarus of the debilitating illness. But He didn’t come until four days later, and by then Lazarus had died. Martha also had an egocentric perspective.
There was a bigger picture that Martha could not see. She had to learn to trust God. Jesus would answer her call. Jesus would restore Lazarus to health, but in a way she never dreamed possible, and in a way that would show the glory of God that day forward.
I need to remember that God is at work on this “bigger picture” in my life and will continue to do so until Jesus comes to take me home with Him (Philippians 1:6). I have His Word to help me remember that when I pray, God will answer (1 John 5:14-15). What I don’t know is how or when He will do so. But I know He will; He said so (Jeremiah 29:12-13, John 16:24). I just need to remember that there is a bigger picture, and that if I but believe, I will see the glory of God!
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” – John 14:13
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How the Lord has answered prayer in an unexpected way in your life?