God of ALL hope

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Psalms‬ ‭39:7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

He didn’t come through.

I waited. And waited. And waited some more. He didn’t come through.

He didn’t show up the way I expected.

The mortgage on our home was due from the first of this month, today is the thirty-first day, and God didn’t show up.

I confess, I felt very disappointed yesterday.

It was the last “business” day of the month. The cut off deadline before the hit for non-payment of a bill appeared on my credit report.

In all my life, I’ve never been late on making a payment.

In the past two years since we’ve had this house, God has showed up every month.

Every.

Single.

Month.

Even at 11:59pm.

This month though, He did not show up…

Especially as I sat in eager expectation.

As I shared my disappointment in His “tardiness” with Him, I felt Him listening and holding His arms out to me.

I climbed up in my ABBA’s arms and weeped. He reminded me that many months ago when He asked me to come away with Him and sacrifice TV and movies for a year it was because life was about to get harder. Unless my focus remained fixed on Him, I would begin sinking like Peter. Unless I trusted His heart when the hard times hit and the pressures began rising, I would walk around feeling discouraged to the point of depression.

He held me close to His bosom and whispered, “Child of mine, I love you. Though I didn’t show up the way you expected, within you there resides My peace, My joy, My strength.”

He beckoned me to come deeper in Him. To worship Him. To trust Him.

Have you ever faced a challenge in which you expected God to show up on “your time” yet He delayed? I’m sure you have…We all have in one way of another.

As I write this post Holy Spirit has brought to mind Mary and Martha and how they waited with eager expectancy for their friend, Jesus to show up and see their brother (see John 11). No doubt they were expecting Jesus to heal Lazarus as He had done with other people not nearly as close to Him.

The sisters sent word to the Master that His friend, Lazarus was sick.

As the sisters waited, and waited, counting down the days and maybe hours with their sundial, no doubt they thought – today is the day. Today, is the day Rabboni, our Master and our dearest friend will show up.

He didn’t.

What do you when your dearest friend doesn’t show up…

Jesus in this case, deliberately tarried.

He didn’t show up to heal Lazarus.

He didn’t show up moments before or after His death.

He didn’t even show up at the funeral service.

He intentionally tarried two more days.

He made no haste to visit His sick friend.

He didn’t ‘send’ a word as He has been known to do.

His first verbal response, (vs 4), “this illness does not lead to death.”

Verse 5 goes on to say “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.”

‭This posture of Jesus does not look like love at all. To our eyes, we see no evidence of compassion; no sense of urgency. The Master intentionally tarried for TWO WHOLE DAYS.

We know the story, Jesus showed up four days later. By the time He arrived on the scene, Lazarus was in the tomb – worms and their comrades were having a field day with his dead flesh.

Everyone looks to God for a miracle. A resurrection experience. No one however wants to go through sickness and possible death. We cannot have one without the other. In order for a resurrection to occur, something MUST die.

We know how Lazarus’ story unfolded. The Master showed up, called to Lazarus once they rolled away the stone, and out jumped Lazarus from the tomb – grave clothes and all.

His sickness was gone.

Death had lost its grip (for that time).

Siblings were reunited.

Sorrow departed.

Joy returned and this time, in inexpressible and insurmountable abundance.

This story gives me hope. It reminds me that yes, I would like to always be on time with my bills but my hope is not found in money showing up. My hope as David said many centuries ago is in God.

Our hope must only be found in God or else we will end up miserable and feeling defeated.

Our hope is not found in good health, in great wealth, in well behaved children, in having a promotion at work.

Our hope is in God. He is our eternal and unshakable hope.

Friends, where is your hope today? If you find that your hope is in anything but God – you will be in for a rude awakening.

So, God didn’t come through on my time. Yes, I felt disappointed, but my hope, is in Him and in His time, He will come through, even if I end up loosing it all in this life 🙌🏽.

---

Until next time remember, His Promises are our Guarantee…🙌🏽