Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. (John 11:5-6 (NKJV))

God’s timing is always perfect. And so is His will. If you’ve been waiting, it’s easy to think that the perfect timing was yesterday. Or right now. We get caught up in feelings. So, we often default to wanting something to happen as soon as possible.

But God’s timing really is perfect. He’s outside of time. And His reasoning isn’t clouded by feelings. He also knows all things – from the beginning to the end. He knows the perfect timing for something to happen.

And God knows if something would even be good for you. If you’re waiting for an answer to prayer, remember that the answer might be no. Yet, even if something is God’s will, that doesn’t mean it will happen when you think it should.

God knows when something will bring Him the most glory. He loves us and knows what’s best for us.

Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters, Martha, and Mary (John 11:5). When Lazarus got sick, Martha and Mary sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick” (John 11:3 (NKJV)).

Because Jesus loved them, you might expect that He would have gone to them as quickly as He could. Yet, it was because Jesus loved them that “He stayed two more days in the place where He was” (John 11:6 (NKJV)).

Jesus waited. Jesus didn’t go to them the moment He heard the news. Why? It wasn’t God’s perfect timing.

Jesus is God. He knew the perfect time to go because He knew what He would do.

By the time Jesus headed toward Bethany, Jesus knew that Lazarus had already died (John 11:14). Jesus told His disciples, “And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe” (John 11:15 (NKJV)).

God’s timing was perfect. But Martha and Mary couldn’t see it. When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days (John 11:39). And each one told Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32 (NKJV)).

But God had a plan. Jesus prayed,

“Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” (John 11:41-42 (NKJV))

Then Jesus “cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus come forth!’” (John 11:43 (NKJV)). “And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth” (John 11:44 (NKJV)).

Could you imagine? Jesus showed them in a tangible way that God had sent Him. He demonstrated His power over death when He raised Lazarus from the dead. Only God could do that.

God’s timing was perfect. If Jesus had quickly gone to see Lazarus when He got word that Lazarus was sick, it wouldn’t have glorified God in the same way. And if He had healed Lazarus in their presence or from afar, they wouldn’t have witnessed Jesus’ power over death.

So, as the days, months, and even years roll by, remember that God’s timing is always perfect. He hasn’t forgotten about you. He hears you. Trust God as you walk by faith with Him.

Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash