When God does nothing

Day 148

OT Reading: 1 Chronicles 23-25

NT Reading: John 11:1-17

Just last night at church we concluded an elective titled Five Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith. It's a DVD-based series by Andy Stanley, and actually is available for you to view for free online here. During the last message, one titled "Pivotal Circumstances", Andy Stanley spends the entire message speaking about the events of John 11. If you have about 40-45 minutes, I'd strongly encourage you to watch this message.

However since I know most of those who read this simply will not take the time, I'll offer the cliff notes version.

In John 11 Jesus does something that we don't expect...and frankly...something we'd hope God would never do. To be quite honest, what Jesus does in John 11 is so contrary to how we expect God to act that to some it is a direct shock to our faith. In John 11 Jesus not only permits a horrible circumstance...but he causes it to happen. Consider the following events:

* Jesus learns of Lazarus' (a close friend of his) illness (John 11:3)

* Jesus choose to not return to Bethany and not heal Lazarus from afar. In fact, though Lazarus' health is deteriorating, Jesus essentially does nothing. (John 11:6)

* Lazarus dies...and Jesus knew it was going to happen the whole time (John 11:14)

Think about this. Jesus could have returned to Bethany. Jesus could have healed Lazarus from a distance (we've seen this happen a few other times). But instead Jesus intentionally acted in such a way that Lazarus still died. Mary and Martha had to watch his health fail. All the family, all the friends had to bury him. No one was spared the pain of this death, all because Jesus did nothing.

Jesus had healed tons who would have been considered complete strangers; yet with these who he was apparently quite close to, Jesus did nothing.

Ever prayed for something and God did not answer? Ever have a genuine prayer request that anyone in their right mind would be asking for (e.g. the healing of a small child)? Ever have a situation where you know God could do something, and should do something...yet He didn't? Have you ever felt as though you needed to make excuses to your non-believing friends for God...because of when he did not act?

If you answered, "yes" to any or all of those questions...you probably have an idea as to what Mary and Martha felt like. You can probably understand their pain and frustration and confusion with what Jesus was doing. I mean...he'd healed complete strangers, wouldn't he certainly come through for his friend?

And yet Jesus not only allowed, but acted in such a way so that Lazarus did die. In fact Jesus tells his disciples, "Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe." (John 11:14-15, NIV) In other words Jesus thinks their faith, their belief, their experience of his power is so important to him that this is what he's willing to allow his friends to endure.

That's not the type of faith we like to think about. We like our faith to grow through bills getting miraculously paid, healings, job opportunities and sports team victories...But a God, who is not only willing but active in allowing us to endure pain...just so our faith will grow? Wow. Not many would be likely to sign up for that.

But this is how important it is to God for us to have big, enormous, 'holy cow did you see that' type of confidence in Him. This is how important it is to God that we have 'BIG faith.' And while we would never sign up for certain circumstances, while we would never wish them on anybody...so many times coming out the other side we would agree with Jesus when he says, "No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it..." (John 11:4, NIV)

That's not always a comfort in the midst of the pain. But if you are in a 'pivotal circumstance' in your life, I pray this is a concept that you may be able to hold on to.