“So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, ‘Lord, your dear friend is very sick.’”
John 11:3 (NLT)
In verse 3, the sisters sent Jesus a message—a cry for help. Their request was simple: come. But Jesus didn’t start moving toward Lazarus until verse 34. When Mary and Martha finally met Him, both essentially said, “Lord, You ignored my prayer.” The weight of their moment blinded them from what Jesus was already doing.
But God. He answered the moment He heard their cry. Jesus even prophesied the answer in verse 4. The delay happened in the natural, but the matter was settled spiritually. Mary and Martha didn’t get to hear that part. They were being asked to trust Jesus for a miracle they had never seen before. That’s incredibly difficult. Try it yourself—then give these sisters some grace.
Delay is not denial. Jesus answered immediately, but they couldn’t see it. We, however, have the Word. We have evidence of countless ways God restores situations. Let’s stop assuming He didn’t send help when we asked. His answer is better than we imagine. Surrender the moment and wait on Jesus. He is more than enough.