ESOCS Devotional 13 June 2025 – When Jesus Waits
MEMORY VERSE: “So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” John 11:6
TEXT: JOHN 11:1-16
Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”
12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.
14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”
16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”
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Certainly, Jesus would have understood that his friends were anxious and terrified. Certainly, Jesus would have immediately felt empathy for his dear friends. But he waited. He didn’t act. He waited for two days and during that time, Lazarus died. Jesus waited. This does not seem to be the action of a good friend. This does not seem to be caring and compassionate and loving. What kind of master would wait during such a time of crisis?
However, there are many examples of God waiting much longer. In Gen 12, God comes to Abram and makes a promise to him. God promises to make a great nation out of Abram, who is 75 years old. He has no children, but by faith, he sets out on his journey to follow God’s instructions. After several years and no child, God and Abram had another holy chat that is recorded in Genesis 15:1-6. Years had passed by, and still God waited to make good His promises. Years later, God appears to Abram again and this conversation is recorded in Genesis 17:1-2. Abram had to endure 24 years of confusion while he waited on God to show up and make something happen. But when God did show up, great things happened.
Joseph was sold into slavery and languished in prison for many years but God used him to deliver Israel and Egypt from famine. David was anointed as king by Samuel but spent years on the run from King Saul. God finally showed up and made good His promise to put David on the throne. Even the nation of Israel is a testament to the truth that God waits to show up. They spent years in slavery in Egypt before God showed up. Then centuries later, they were conquered by Babylon and spent a generation in captivity before God allowed them to return to their land. Even then, they spent 400 years under the domination of one empire or another, waiting for Messiah to come. What hope is there for us then when God waits to show up in our lives? Our hope is that God does not leave us in perplexity and confusion forever. Eventually, God does show up. Good news, you are next in the line of testifiers, the redeemer and Holy one of Israel is showing up for you and your family today!
CHALLENGES
- Like all saints before us, let us learn to wait patiently for the Lord. He will hear and redeemed us out of all our afflictions.
PRAYER POINT
- Father, in that area of our lives that we demand your hands of help, show up, in Jesus name. Amen.
FURTHER READING: Ezekiel 1:1-17; 5:1-17; John 11:17-44
ESOCS Devotional 13 June 2025
