Worth The Wait
A devotional by Angela Anderson
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
— John 11:32 (NIV)
The phone kept ringing. Finally, my call was answered – but it was voicemail again. That was the third person on my “favorites” contact list who I tried to reach. I was on the verge of tears, and I desperately needed to speak with someone. I just wanted to hear a comforting voice, but no one was coming to my rescue. My heart sank as my fourth call went straight to voicemail. Why weren’t any of my friends available when I needed them the most?
I imagine Martha and Mary felt the same way when they made a SOS call to their Best Friend (Jesus Christ), and there was no immediate answer. You can open a Bible and read John 11 for the full story. Here’s the short story: Their brother Lazarus was deathly ill, and they knew Jesus could make him well. The situation was critical and there was no time to waste. Yet Jesus casually stayed where He was for two more days before starting on His journey to see Lazarus! When Jesus finally arrived on the scene, Lazarus had been dead for four days!
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she ran to meet Him. She greeted Jesus with these words: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21). Later in the same chapter, Martha’s sister Mary also confronted Jesus with those same words (John 11:32).
Have you ever cried out to God in distress, but your prayer seemed to be lost in a black hole?
Have you ever wondered where was God when you were going through the darkest moments of your life? Martha and Mary were crushed with disappointment. They felt as though the friend who they depended on did not show up when they needed Him the most. But Jesus did show up and when He did, He was filled with compassion. He felt their pain and immediately responded to their sorrow. According to John 11:33, “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.”
Jesus asked to be led to the tomb where Lazarus lay dead, then He did something beyond anything they could have ever imagined: He raised Lazarus from the dead!
God also wants to do something amazing for us in the middle of a tragedy or disappointment.
We may be expecting something immediate, but sometimes God’s delay is intentional. As John 11:15a reads: “And for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.”
God postpones His arrival to our situation in order to strengthen our faith, so that when He appears with all power and might, there will be no other option than to believe that it is God coming to our rescue.
The uncertainty in the waiting is hurtful, but He feels our pain and knows our hurt. When we cannot feel His presence, God is ever so present! Although there may be a delay, it does not mean there is a denial. God will show up, and when He does, it be worth the wait.
Let’s Pray: Dear God, You are wonderful and amazing in so many ways. Thank you for coming to our rescue in the past and for promising to be there in the future. May we trust and believe that You are with us, no matter how we feel or what we may expect. You have proven to be a faithful God. Strengthen us as we wait on You. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.
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Note from Alexis: Angela’s devotional message today reminds me of the song “I Don’t Mind Waiting” by Juanita Bynum. Listen to it here.
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Author Bio:
Angela Anderson was born in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in NJ. She found her love for writing when she was in elementary school. She continued writing through high school, college, and into adulthood.
In 2021, Angela started writing articles for an online magazine called Christian Women Living, where she focuses on writing messages for mothers and sharing advice on parenting. In addition to this, Angela wrote a devotional that is featured in a book published by Proverbs 31 Ministries. The book title is Hope When Your Heart is Heavy.
Angela has a passion for inspiring and impacting others through her writing as well as speaking. She is the co-founder of Anchor Moms, a ministry to cure loneliness in Motherhood. Currently, this ministry meets via a group on Facebook.
Angela has been married to the love of her life, Duane Anderson, for 17 years. Together, they have two sons: Thomas (age 9) and Ryan (age 4). Angela’s favorite pastime is journaling, and she also enjoys spending quality time with her family. Her personal mission is to empower others to achieve their goals and dreams.
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Connect with Angela:
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/angela.thomasanderson
Facebook fan page for her devotional book, Just When I Thought I Knew God:
https://www.facebook.com/jwitikg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelanderson1104/
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