07.03. Love's Delay
3. Love’s Delay, and the Journey to Judea The ways of God are very unlike the ways of man. His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways our ways. When we might expect Him to act in one way — we find Him acting in the very reverse.
We see this clearly in the story of Bethany. The sick brother is tended carefully, anxiously, by the two loving sisters. They have sent a messenger to Jesus with the news of their brother’s illness, and each moment they anticipate his return, and doubt not that Jesus will come with him. Surely their Friend, their Savior, cannot and will not refuse their urgent desire. Surely He will come and stand by the sick-bed of Lazarus, and bid health and strength return. But, lo, it is far otherwise! They are sorely disappointed. The messenger returned — and no Savior. Not even is there a message to tell them that He will come shortly. Hour by hour, moment by moment, they watch and wait and hearken for a sign of His coming, but in vain. They wait for the Lord as those that watch for the morning, but He comes not to relieve their distress.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, and now it is evident that the last scene is near. Lazarus must die — and Christ still absent! Yes, and now all is over. The silver cord is loosed, and the golden bowl is broken, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the dust returns to the earth as it was. The speedy burial takes place, and the mourners come, and sorrow bewails the sleeping one — but no Savior! One, two, three days still pass, days of heaviness and anguish, and still no sign of the Master’s approach. "Strange, very strange, all this," might they say one to another. "Very strange that He should seem so to forget us. But there is some reason for it. We dare not, we will not believe that He loves us one whit less than we thought!"
Love’s delay! How frequent do we find it in God’s dealings with His people! For five-and-twenty long years and more does Abraham wait before God gives the son He has promised. For more than four hundred years does the promise of Canaan remain before its fulfillment. For more than four thousand years do men expect the Messiah, first promised in Eden.
Why is this? Why does prayer often arise — and yet so long a period pass before the answer comes? Why does the faithful Jehovah give promises so sure and certain — and yet permit many a year to pass before they are fulfilled?
Ever remember that with God there is an infinity of power, and an eternity in which to display it. If we have an important work to do, we must make haste and do it at once, or the opportunity is gone; our time will be over, or we may no longer have the power to accomplish it. Not so with God. His arm never grows weary; His years never fail. From everlasting to everlasting He is God. So that we must not doubt or faint when He keeps us waiting a while. Though the vision tarries — wait for it — it will surely come.
Sometimes God keeps His people waiting, because great works are long in maturing. The gourd springs up in a night, and perishes in a night. But the giant oak grows more slowly — yet abides for a century. So God’s works are great and glorious, and last forever. This very story of Bethany, through more than eighteen centuries, has been a rock of strength to all God’s sorrowful ones. The work of redemption, so long delayed, is to be the theme of endless praise by saints on earth and in Heaven.
God keeps His people waiting oftentimes, that He may deepen spiritual feeling, that He may quicken their souls to more earnest prayer. Our spiritual life is far too shallow — our prayers are far too formal. We want the Divine Teacher by any means to change this. And He does it in this way — He calls forth more earnest desires, more fervent petitions, by the season of delay which He appoints. Oh, what days of spiritual experience, what days of growth in faith and patience and knowledge of the Savior, were those spent by the sisters! How thankfully would they ever look back to those dark, dark hours! And so is it always in such seasons with God’s people. Who teaches like God?
God keeps His people waiting, that He may the more manifest His own exceeding grace and power. He writes a sentence of death on all human means of accomplishing our desires, and then in His own marvelous way steps in and does far more than ever we have looked for. If Lazarus had never died, if he had not lain four days in the grave, we would never have had the story of Christ’s greatest miracle, or such a proof of His resurrection power. The delay enhanced beyond all conception the glory of the miracle, and manifested His own majesty and might.
Joseph had to wait very long, before he could see the purpose of God’s dealings with him; but at last he saw the reason for it all. The betrayal, the exile, the false accusation, the dungeon, the thirteen years of trial and suffering — all these manifested the more fully the wonder-working providence of the great Disposer of all things. For nine years did Monica, the mother of Augustine, pray on in vigorous and persistent hope for her son, while he was rolling in the filth of sin, attempting sometimes to rise — and then sinking deeper than before. But at the end, the grace and mercy of God were the more evident for the long delay. For a whole lifetime did a Christian woman bear with a cruel and intemperate husband — ever returning good for evil, and continuing fervent in prayer for his salvation; and in old age did the man go out into the woods and confess his former sins, and find there the Savior whom his wife so long had loved.
Ah, sorrowing Christian, watch and wait and pray at mercy’s gate — and for all your waiting shall there be a double recompense! What are a few days of weeping — compared with the joys of eternity? But if Christ delays, He does not deny help to those who seek Him. After a while, Christ purposes to go again into Judea and console the sisters.
What a calm quiet dignity is there about the movements of Christ! Like the sun and moon moving on in their orbits — like the pillar of the cloud guiding Israel in the wilderness — so was it with Christ. He was never in a hurry, but when the due season came, He rose up and went on His way. For two days did He abide still in the same place where He was, and then He bade His disciples prepare to follow Him into Judea.
Yes, and as we see there was no haste — no hurrying, for He had all power in His hand, and had it been His good pleasure, He could have healed Lazarus by His word, without going to Bethany at all — so neither was there any shrinking back from the fear of man. The disciples fear the persecution of the Jews. They have lately sought to stone Christ, and they may do so again; but what matters this? Christ holds the reins of the universe. Man cannot touch one hair of His head or that of His disciples, except as He shall permit it.
Believer, when the Lord calls you forth to go on His errands, to speak for Him, to witness for Him among the ungodly — do not shrink back. Do not refuse to obey His call. In days like our own, when the powers of evil are so mighty, no Christian ought to hold back his testimony, but go forth manfully and strive to rescue souls from the kingdom of darkness.
"Ah, but my natural disposition is retiring — I am not fitted for speaking to others." But are you to follow your disposition — or the guiding of God’s Word and Spirit? Was not God angry with Moses, because he pleaded that he was slow of speech? Did not Christ bid the demoniac go home to his friends and tell them what great things the Lord had done for him?
"Ah, but I am afraid of what others will say or do."
Nay, my friend, be not afraid of those who kill the body. Take Christ with you; believe that He is by your side; lift up your eyes to Him for wisdom and strength, and then you need not fear though all the world were against you. A Christian in Tinnevelly was cruelly beaten and half-killed by the heathen whom he strove to win for Christ; but after his recovery, he was asked in what part of the country he would prefer to labor. "Send me again to the very place where I have been ill-treated," he said; and there he went and continued his work for Christ. The words of Christ, in which He reproved the timidity of the disciples, are full of wise teaching for ourselves. The disciples say to Christ, "Master, the Jews of late sought to stone You — and do you want to go You thither again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walks in the day, he stumbles not, because he sees the light of this world. But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because there is no light in him." As if Jesus would say, "Be not afraid for my sake — there is no cause for fear. I have my twelve hours, of which none can deprive me. True, foes may be on my right hand, and on my left. True, scribes and Pharisees and chief-priests may be filled with envy and wrath. Nevertheless, all is well. If need be, legions of angels shall defend and guard Me until my appointed work is done." But in these words, Christ looks beyond Himself, to His disciples and to men in all time. The lesson is for the world. Man has his time, his opportunity, his day of grace and mercy — but it is short and limited: twelve hours, and no more. They may be very short hours, or they may be longer, but they will soon pass.
Dear reader, such is your life. One short day, and then its great and blessed opportunities have fled, and forever. Yes, and now there is light for you! The glorious lamp of God’s Word is ready to give you light needful for every footstep. Every one of its ten thousand precious promises has its bright ray of light to guide and cheer you if you will receive it. Yes, Christ Himself will be your light. In His Gospel He offers you the light of knowledge, of pardon, and of hope.
"Hail, glorious Gospel — heavenly light, whereby
We live with comfort and with comfort die;
And view beyond this gloomy scene — the tomb —
A life of endless happiness to come." Is any reader of these pages earnestly desiring to find peace and salvation? Then be assured you shall not be left in the dark. The Ethiopian eunuch was seeking the way, and the Lord sent Philip to instruct him. Cornelius was longing for God’s favor, and the Lord sent Peter to his house. But is there no danger to those who delay? Ah, there is the crafty serpent whispering in your ear, "Wait a while. No need of being so hasty. Months and years are yet before you. These things are very good in their place; but first enjoy the world and your sins and your pleasures a while longer — and by-and-by repent and believe."
Nay, nay, do not hearken to this specious deceit. While the day is fresh, while the sun is in the east — then set out on your journey. To wait until the sun is setting, is dangerous work for one who has such a journey to take. What if your light goes out, and you should stumble and fall and perish! Your foot may stumble on the dark mountains, and then you shall never reach the heavenly Jerusalem.
It is a solemn thought. Each moment of delay — the light to guide you is being withdrawn.
God gives light. He offers it to you, but if rejected, the darkness grows deeper. The shutters are put up; a thick mist gathers over you; spiritual things become more and more unreal and distant; the conscience is dulled; the Spirit is withdrawn; the spirit of the world gains stronger power; and perchance the eye of the soul is fixed in spiritual death forever. Is there no peril in this? But life itself will soon be over, and then your lot is cast for weal or woe. Some years ago I was preaching one Sunday afternoon, on the words, "Yet a little while is the light with you." I was urging those present at once to turn from sin and to believe in Christ. One man whom I had reason to know had long been living a profane and wicked life, was listening to the message. It was the last he heard. Whether he received the truth or not I cannot say; but the following Friday he was walking through the fields, and suddenly he was taken ill, and never reached his home alive.
Blessed are those who, while they have the light, believe in the light, walk in the light, and reach in safety the glorious city which has no need of the son or moon, for the Lord Himself is its everlasting light!