God's plans are always fulfilled His way

John 11:22 – 57

Sometimes it is hard to really believe that the Lord feels what we feel. Our emotions can be all over the board. The Lord really does have great compassion for us. He knows just what to do at just the right time.

Jesus had been told about Lazarus sickness several days earlier. Early enough that if He would have come when told, may have made it before Lazarus had died. He waited! God always knows the perfect timing for us. He hears are hearts cry and knows what we need to fulfill our hearts desire. He always knows what we can handle. Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were not just acquaintances they were close friends, people whom Jesus had a great love for and knew quite well. Jesus knew they could handle the grief and He had a greater plan that would bless them all.

Sometimes God allows defining events in our lives. One for me was being surrounded in the Sudan by terrorist. Facing imminent death, I had full confidence in the Lord to hold my future in the palm of His hand, whether it was seeing Him soon or staying alive I was fine. It caused me to have a peace about my life and death and a renewed confidence that nothing can stop the plan of God for my life.

Jesus knowing that He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead still wept at his tomb. His compassion was so great, the sense of loss Mary and Martha felt, the suffering we must go through because of original sin, suffering of all involved including Lazarus. Jesus heart broke and in verse 35, the shortest verse in the Bible it says, “Jesus wept”. God knows our pain; He longs to bring comfort and encouragement to us if we will only let Him.

Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead was a defining moment in His life and ministry. His popularity reached a pinnacle and the religious leaders jealousy did as well. Openly, they began to plot Jesus’ death. Even this was part of God’s plan.

Do we really trust the Lord? That is a question I ask myself with most trials that I face. God really does have a plan for our lives. Bad things and good things will happen on a regular basis. Both will pass through our lives, the question is will we trust the Lord with them.

Make a decision today, despite the good, the bad, and the ugly, to trust the Lord. You may go through difficulty but that does not mean that the Lord is not with you. It simply means that here is another opportunity for us to trust the Lord.