His Time

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.  John 11:21

Four days. Lazarus was buried four days when Jesus came to Bethany. Martha, for all her faults, knew that Jesus had power over life. What she was about to learn was that He also had power over death. Jesus waited, knowing that the message would be more powerful and that more would believe in Him when all doubt was removed.  At four days, there was no question that Lazarus was dead and that a miracle lay just on the horizon.
The sisters questioned why he waited, knowing that Lazarus was sick. With their questions, they were placing their time and their will on Jesus. They did not understand that by His waiting, they would be the recipients of a great miracle that would be a testimony for centuries to come.
God's time is not ours. While we see just a speck of the entirety of the picture, He sees it all. He knows what we need and exactly when we need it. Sometimes, it's for our benefit and other times it's for someone else to see the majesty of God's power.
Waiting is a gift - it allows us to grow closer to God while we pray for a miracle in our lives. If God provided each need automatically, how would we ever grow and know that our hope lies in Him?
The chorus of While I'm Waiting by John Waller speaks volumes:

While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
I'll be running the race even while I wait

So, while you are waiting on God - serve, worship, pray and faint not. His time is perfect.

C