The eternal query: Why do we have to wait?

Why do we have to wait?

This week in the lectionary we see Jesus’s raising of Lazarus. When Mary and Martha come to Jesus to tell him that Lazarus is sick, Jesus does not go right away. He says that the illness will not cause death. Two days pass, and Jesus tells his disciples that they will travel to see Lazarus. He states he will “wake Lazarus up.” The disciples are confused. If he is sleeping, why wouldn’t they just leave him rest. Eventually Jesus tells them that Lazarus is dead, but he will go and bring him back to life. Woah. What a way to show the power of God.

The disciples probably didn’t know it at the time, but this would be one of the interactions that would lead to Jesus’s crucifixion. This event brought forth the believers, but also brought forth those that wanted to put him to death. This sealed the deal. But surely Jesus knew this would be the case, right?

Surely Jesus knew that this would lead to his demise. But at the same time, he knew the work that needed to be done to save all of creation. It would be interesting to go back to those times and walk with the disciples, and listen to the conversations they were having.

Maybe they were questioning Jesus’s choice. If only he had gone to Lazarus when Mary and Martha came to him, he could have been healed before he died. There would have been no need to bring him back to life. Perhaps this would have kept the sceptics at bay.

But again, Jesus knew the work that needed to be done. He knew that he was the bridge between life and death. No one comes to the Father but through him. That covenant needed to be fulfilled.

This isn’t the only time in the book of John where we see Jesus waiting. Chapter 2 gives up the story of the wedding at Cana where Jesus turns water into wine. Jesus’s mother Mary tells him that the wine has run out at the wedding. Jesus responds saying

“What concern is that to me and you, my hour has not yet come.” He eventually has the servants fill the jars with water, and miraculously turns them to wine. Instead of responding with a “yes I will handle that right away” to his mother, he basically respond with “I will do it when I am ready.”

Where are you waiting on God in your life? We live in a world where we can get what we want in an instant. We don’t have to make sure we get home at night before our tv show starts. We don’t even have to make sure we are in church every Sunday morning to hear the word. At most churches you can watch it online in your own time. But God is still teaching us patience in our lives.

As we pray for changes or blessings, we need to remember that if the answer to that pray isn’t ‘yes’, it isn’t instantly a ‘no.’ The answer could be ‘not right now.’ Keep praying, keep asking, keep hoping and knowing that God is listening. Eventually you will get you answer… on God’s time.