They were not a part of Jesus’ inner group of disciples, the Twelve, but they were devoted followers of Jesus. Yet Mary, Martha and Lazarus were even more than that. They were his dear friends─friends whom he loved. He had stayed at their home in Bethany, eaten at their table, enjoyed hours of conversation.

So when Lazarus became critically ill, Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus. “Come, your dear friend is dying.” The diagnosis was dire; the physicians had no cure. The only hope for these two sisters was a miracle of healing, and they knew the Miracle Worker. He was their close friend.

Jesus had performed miracles of healing for hundreds of people that were mere strangers to him, so their expectation what that the moment Jesus received word that Lazarus was dying, he would drop everything and rush to their aid. But once again, Jesus does the unexpected.

“. . . So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” (John 11:6)

He did what?

Instead of rushing to Lazarus, he stayed two more days? If dear friends of mine had contacted me to come to their aid when a loved one is critically ill, I would have dropped everything and rushed to their side. So why did Jesus stay two more days? Why did he delay?

The answer is found in an enlightening statement found in the first part of that same verse of scripture:

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” (John 11:6)

What? Jesus delayed his arrival because he loved them. That seems like a paradoxical statement! Surely the better way to have shown his love would have been to travel as quickly as possible to Bethany and heal Lazarus. How was this intentional delay an expression of his great love for them?

The answer? Jesus wanted to give them more than a miracle of healing. He wanted to give them a miracle of resurrection! But, the delay was necessary in order to receive the greater miracle.

Sometimes we wonder why our prayers seemingly go unanswered. A prayer for healing. A prayer for financial blessing. A prayer for a prodigal. A prayer for an unsaved loved one. A prayer for provision. A prayer for guidance.

Perhaps the delay to our prayers is an expression of the Lord’s sincere love for us. He so loves us that He wants to give us a greater miracle, an answer beyond our expectations. But to receive it often requires that we experience the discomfort, even grief, that comes with the necessary delay. Remember when Jesus arrived on the scene, he wept. (John 11:35) He grieved as he witnessed the grief that death causes. Yet for there to be a resurrection, there had to be a death. Martha and Mary had to experience the grief in order to experience the greater joy of resurrection.

Now when Jesus arrived on the scene, Martha questioned Jesus’ delay. We, too, can question the Lord when we are living “in the delay.” So instead of questioning the Lord’s timing (the Lord’s will) in the seasons of delay, we can draw strength to persevere, to be filled with hope, yes, a confident hope in the Lord, by standing on the promises of God. For me, one of the most faith-building, faith-sustaining scriptures to hang on to when I’m experiencing the pain of a delay is Romans 8:28:

“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NKJV)

The good that the Lord worked together for Mary and Martha wasn’t just a healing; it was a resurrection! The greater miracle. It was worth the moments of grief. It was worth the delay.

Trust God’s timing. Trust His promises. Remember He is still the Worker of the greater miracles!