We have this tendency as humans to want and get things very quickly especially if it's of great importance. We want immediate answers to prayers, fast results, quick success...everything fast.
So whenever we stumble into an overwhelming challenge, we go to God expecting Him to give us immediate answers and if not given, we get angry and seek other mediums to get the solution. We then assume God is late and doesn't answer prayers fast.
If you belong to such category of people, let me burst your bubble now because I saw something in God's word that contradict your claim on this subject using a story in the scripture that illustrates it.
Let's look at this story with understanding. Endeavour to read through it very closely because the Holy spirit can minister something to you.
"Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
(This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)
So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
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.”
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb.
It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
John 11:1-4, 6-7, 14, 17, 19-26, 32-40, 42-44 NIV.
Lazarus was sick and needed attention; he needed to be healed of his sickness. Words reached Jesus from his sisters that their beloved brother needed help. When he got the message He said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
John 11:4 NIV
Jesus said the sickness wouldn't end in death yet Lazarus died. Now the question is, did Jesus lie? That's the question people ask. Apparently, He didn't.
God has promised anwers through His word or maybe directly to you. He may have told you that you'll get the result and answers you seek but yet nothing's showing forth. But know this, its not showing forth at your timing doesn't mean God is a liar. His words are true.
Bible says He honors His word even more than His name. That's how important His Word is to Him.
Now, Jesus came even four days after Lazarus' death, it was obvious (to the senses of man) that the body of Lazarus had started smelling, at that time it was already late for Him to do something. The purpose of the message reaching Jesus about Lazarus' ailment was to heal not to resurect him. It was late already but that was for humans. To Mary, Martha and every other person who witnessed Lazarus' death, there was no hope. Nothing can be done.
But amazingly, Lazarus came out of that tomb healthy and alive at the command of Jesus. The miracle was done though four days late.
Now, understand this truth, God can never be late, He may not show up at your own timing, He may not show up when it's getting hopeless, it may seem that he isn't doing anything but let me tell you that He's just preparing your answer.
That scripture says that Jesus stayed at the location He heard the news two more days. He wasn't in a hurry.
He possess the power to change the situation no matter how ugly it is and is glorified through it. And when He shows up and does the work, it then looks like the problem has never been there. Lazarus came out of that tomb like he was never sick in the first place – fresh and alive.
You may be strucked with a great challenge and you've cried to the Lord for intervention, you've told him you need an immediate response but somehow He has not appeared.
I'm writing to you to let you know that you shouldn't be discouraged. Definitely, He'll come to your aid. He'll roll out that stone of shame, lack, poverty sickness, oppression, addiction, pain, grief, and He'll call out your name. You'll come out of that tomb (problem) fresh, new and revived.
Just keep your faith intact, be patient with God, hold strong to His Word and all He's told you. You must know that God doesn't fail nor go back on His Word. Instead of His Word to pass away, let the world pass away.
Build your faith. Martha's faith was intact; she believed Jesus would still do something; she was calm but Mary ran out from where she was crying and started questioning Jesus still sobbing. How do I know? Read John 11:21-27, 32,33.
Just incase you're feeling God is late in bringing to you the answers to the prayers you've been asking for, know that He can't be late. The truth is He always shows up.
Look at the lines in the song titled "Four Days Late" By Karen Peck and New River.
"... But He's four days late and all hope is gone,
Lord we don't understand why you've waited so long,
But He's way is God's way not yours or mine,
and isn't it great when He's four days late, He'll still on time."
Yes, the deadline might have passed, the sickness might have gotten worst, you might have been thrown out of your apartment, it may look like the situation is hopeless but God will still show up.Don't give up. Don't stop believing. Don't stop waiting for Him. His time is the best and He make things beautiful in His own time. (Ecclesiastics 3:11). Just trust Him. You don't have to understand when you trust Him.
God cannot be late.
HIS TIME is the RIGHT TIME.
God bless you.
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