Good day everyone, and welcome back to our journey through the book of John! 😊 Today we’re diving into chapter 11, and my prayer is that as we reflect together, God’s Word will bring encouragement, guidance, and fresh revelation for our daily walk.

John 11 opens with a desperate situation: Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, had become severely ill. Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus because they knew He had the power to heal and deliver. They believed that if Jesus came quickly, their brother would not die. But what Jesus did next is what truly caught my attention.

“But when Jesus heard about it he said, ‘Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.’ So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days.” (John 11:4–6 NLT)

When Jesus heard the news, He immediately declared the purpose of the situation, this sickness would not end in death but would reveal God’s glory. This is the second time we see Jesus say something like this. The first was in John 9, when He said the man’s blindness existed so that the works of God could be displayed in him. Once again, Jesus shows us that our trials, challenges, and painful moments can become platforms for God’s power and glory to be revealed.

But what really stands out is verses 5–6. Even though Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, He stayed where He was for two more days. At first glance, it makes no sense. If He truly loved them, why delay? Why wait? Why not rush to their aid? As our Gen Z folks would say — make it make sense! But after reflecting, I realized something important: Sometimes God does not show up when we want Him to because the timing isn’t right. What feels like delay to us is divine timing to Him. So, can we still trust in His goodness and love for us even when he doesn’t show up according to our own timing? Remember, He is never late, because He operates outside of time itself.

“A single day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a single day.” (2 Peter 3:8 TPT)

To Mary and Martha, Jesus was very late. Lazarus had already died and been buried for four days by the time Jesus arrived. But to Jesus, it was the perfect moment for them to experience Him not only as healer… but as the Resurrection and the Life.

Maybe you can relate. Maybe you’ve prayed, believed, and done everything you know to do — yet it feels like Jesus hasn’t shown up. It feels like the situation has already “died.” But I want to encourage you today: Jesus is still the Resurrection and the Life. His timing is always perfect. He will step in, and when He does, everything changes.

James 1:2–4 reminds us that trials produce maturity in us:

‘Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. ‘ (James 1:2-4 NLT)

And 1 Corinthians 10:13 reassures us that God will never allow us to face more than we can bear, and He always provides a way through.

‘We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously. ‘ (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT)

Mary and Martha eventually saw the glory of God. Jesus stood before Lazarus’s tomb and called him back to life — four days after he had died. A situation that looked completely hopeless became a testimony of God’s power.

So let me ask you:
What situation in your life seems “dead”?
What have you given up on because you think Jesus didn’t show up on time?

Take it back to Him today. Invite the Resurrection and the Life into it. He asked Mary and Martha, “Do you believe?” and when they said yes, they saw their brother rise again. The same Jesus who raised Lazarus is still working today. Don’t give up — believe, trust, and wait for Him. He is always on time. Never late.

I pray that God will give us the grace to trust Him deeply, to remain confident in His love even during difficult moments, and to hold on to the truth that Jesus ,the Resurrection and the Life, is still in the business of raising what seems dead.

Thank you so much for joining me in our study of John 11. I’d love to hear from you — what stood out to you most in this chapter? Share your thoughts in the comments so we can continue growing together in faith.