When God doesn’t show up

“Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” John 11:32

Are there times when you feel like God just doesn’t show up?  Times that test your patience… and your faith.  Times when you grin and bear it… you say, “I know the Lord is here…” but you can hardly convince yourself of it?

If not… I am glad for you.  But I have to admit… I’ve been there.  I have felt this so many times.  “Lord, if you had been here…” 

I wonder what makes me think I have a right.  Honestly.  Do I know better than Him.  If Jesus had been there for Mary, true, Lazarus would not have died.

And Jesus would have never had to call him from the grave.

God’s ways astound me.  And they are always better than mine.

I get a kick out of myself some times.  I read verses like the one above and I focus on the wrong thing.  Go ahead… go back as see what I bolded.  I have to leave it like that to remind myself just how many expectations I put on Jesus… just how often I look for Jesus to come and take of things.  Yeah, He can and does.  But what is the revelation in this verse? 

“Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him,”

Jesus was already at Lazarus’ grave. 

He was going to do the will of the Father.  He was going to raise Lazarus up.  He had already had a conversation with Martha… the one who complained about her sister sitting at his feet got it now… she left the house this time and Mary stayed behind (something to be learned here)… and Martha went to Jesus.

We get this false idea that Jesus has to come and meet us where we are.  He doesn’t have to… but He does.  That’s just grace in action. 

If you ever find yourself like I do… wandering why a prayer time was dry… or the heavens seem shut… do what Martha did… go find Jesus. 

While we are told to pray in private… we are told to live in public.  “Having a good report of them that are without.”  “Be in the world but not of it.”

Is this a little convicting… I hope so.

Too often we misread the following verse…

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20

We think it is talking about Christians being together.  But do we forget that…

“… when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,” Hebrews 6:13

Read Matt again and see that Jesus is swearing on Himself, on His name, that He is in the midst of them.  Whether they know it, acknowledge it, or care… He is there.

Go to where Jesus is!  He is out seeking the lost…  He is out after the one sheep…

When you feel like you can’t meet Him in your bedroom, or your car, or your office or basement… wherever… don’t get discouraged!  Take it as direction from Him.  He wants us out there, going into all the world.

God is moving.  Jesus is alive.  The Spirit is touching lives.  And He wants us to witness it.

It is not that God has not shown up… but rather, He is at the grave side about to raise up Lazarus…

Get moving… you don’t want to miss it.

SDG