LEARNING DAILY

John 11:5-6, Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

Pastor Jonathon Moore began a new series centered on “Jesus Stories”; he began with the Lazarus becoming sick, dying, and Jesus raising him from the grave. These stories begin with a clip from the film series The Chosen. This a well-known, much preached story of Jesus waiting for two days before He and His disciples went to see Lazarus. Lazarus had died.

Pastor Moore stated, “Patience is required to receive God’s promise”. Perhaps it is the times we live in because few want to wait in line for anything. For example, I remember when “fast food” meant a person would order and it would be ready to go – almost before money was exchanged. Not anymore! Perhaps that idea has been transferred to expecting God to move when we pray. I’m sure you have found over time that God does not do anything except according to His time. Pastor Moore mentioned Hebrews 6:12 where the writer tells us it is “through faith and patience that one inherits the promises”.

He stated, “Patience is long term faith and outweighs the emotion when answers or promises take a long time to come”.  The important thing for Believers to remember is “Jesus is with us when we wait; He is not panicked nor stressed when those waiting might be” (Pastor Moore). Jesus waited for two days to go to Lazarus so He would be able to show His power over death. Waiting does serve a purpose for the Believer as his/her faith is developed and strengthened by waiting.

Pastor Moore stated, “God’s waiting time is never wasted time”. He used Isaiah 40:31 to support this idea. “But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” During the waiting time, God’s promises give strength and courage to overcome the obstacle or difficulty being faced. It is a promise as the Believer patiently trusts God that He will give strength for the journey one takes on the narrow way. The idea is for the Believer to “wait expectantly – not with wishful thinking” (Pastor Moore).

The last point Pastor Moore made was, “Hope must be practiced in the waiting”. He defined hope as “confident expectation of something good”. Jesus told Lazarus’ sister Martha, “Your brother will rise again”. This statement was in response to her comments about what could have, should have occurred if He had come sooner. Pastor said she was looking at the past, not where God was taking her. Practice hope. Hold on to God’s expectation for the future, the future He has for every Believer’s life. Like Jesus told Martha, each Believer needs to “get out of holding on to the past, holding on to the emotions of the past and realize that hope gives you purpose for tomorrow” (Pastor Moore).

Every Believer can know that Jesus is with him/her through each and every trial, when facing every obstacle and in each difficult situation being faced. Let that encourage and comfort you!