June 26th, 2013

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Offended#3

Wednesday, June 26th, 2013

To see the previous posts go here, here, and here.  Or just scroll backwards.  🙂

How many times have you used or heard “God never showed up for me when I needed Him”?

I’m also pretty sure you have heard the true, but hackneyed phrase: “God is seldom early, but He’s never late.”

The story of Lazarus is one in which this whole issue of Jesus not showing up on time becomes a point of “contention” for both Martha and Mary.  According to them Jesus reacted too late.   John 11:46 is very clear: “So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.”

“Oh come on.  Get real Jesus!  Lazarus and his siblings were your friends!  They gave you a place to be at home, to rest your weary body, to feed your empty stomach, to relax your aching spirit.  And you diss them like this?”  And that is the exact point of Offense #3:

#3- HE DOESN’T SHOW UP ON TIME

While Jesus tarries in Jerusalem, Lazarus gets sicker by the minute and eventually dies.  Talk about being incensed!  Go ahead and admit it though.  Haven’t you felt that way before?   I confess I have a time or two (or three or…).

That loved one you have been praying for years to come to Christ.

That sickness you have been praying for healing from.

That addiction you have screamed out for help with.

The financial freedom you have been praying for, pinching your pennies to make ends meet.

The loved one might even die before a decision is made.  The sickness sticks around for years and years, maybe even being a cause of death.  The addiction chains you down and won’t set you free.  You continue struggling even though you are trying to be a good steward.

There are more examples, of course. Frankly, I get tired of waiting sometimes.  Waiting on God can be a taxing exercise.  It can be maddening.  It can even be downright cruel (or seem that way).  Waiting on God can be offensive.  It is compounded because…here it is…

GOD. IS. NOT. WORKING. ACCORDING. TO. OUR. TIME. TABLE!!!!

God demands our all.  He has also promised suffering and difficulty.  Only those who are looking for “a better life now” or “today is Friday” will miss out on God’s refining process.  We cannot dismiss the fact that God’s ways are beyond ours.  He doesn’t always show us what He is doing, nor does He have to.   What He has promised is His grace is sufficient.  His clock is always on time; it just ticks differently than ours.

Consider this quote by Tozer:

The worth of any journey can always be measured by the difficulties encountered along the way.

Frank concludes his thoughts by saying, “Jesus Christ is full of surprises. So much so that if Jesus isn’t surprising you, then you’ve probably stopped growing in Him.” (p.120)

How have you struggled with this offense?  How do you deal with the waiting game?