Love Waits

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“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when He heard that Lazarus was ill, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was.” (John 11:5-6)

Have you noticed that love doesn’t always look like you expected? As a child receiving punishment for bad behavior, I hated those words, “This hurts me more than it does you. I love you.” You love me? Then why are you spanking me and hurting me? Of course when I became the parent, I understood the pain of being the one to give the punishment. Parenting also gave understanding to withholding a greatly desired end result that was not the best for my children.

I have read the story of Mary, Martha and Lazarus many times. Our key verses always cause me to take a big gulp of air. At first reading, it just doesn’t add up. It is a different math equation than 2 + 2 = 4. In our formula-loving minds, love plus love equals get up and go when your friend needs you. Love equals you stop what you are doing and go. You write a check and overnight it. You join Martha in the kitchen and whip up another delicious pot of soup. You cancel your plans, catch a flight, and rush to the rescue.

It seems that Jesus would have followed this same formula. Hop on his donkey, digging his heels into the side of the animal prodding him to run faster to get to his beloved friend. And if he wasn’t actually going, He could have quickly spoken the word of healing for his friend Lazarus as He had done for mere strangers.

But no, the scripture says that when He heard that his friend Lazarus was sick, He stayed. He waited two days longer. He stayed right where He was.

What about love?

Pause. Wait.

Jesus lived within His Father’s equation called Kingdom Living. He waited to hear His Father’s voice and to move at His direction. He was forever astounding all who looked on His life, because He definitely marched to a different beat. He didn’t live by the expectations of others. He didn’t live by a formula, but by a voice: His Father’s voice.

“Jesus gave them this answer: 'Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.' ” John 5:19

Sometimes love lingers instead of pursuing. It is often quiet when it seems it should speak. It may bring pain instead of comfort. It waits, pauses for perfect timing. It doesn’t always get up and go. Real love waits for the voice of God. It waits for God to do His work and accomplish what only He can do.

Jesus lived with a different math professor directing His every move. God’s love disguised in a two-day delay appeared to be neglect. Jesus longed for his dear friends along with all the Jews gathered around to know a different way of life.

They knew Jesus as Healer, but He wanted them to know Him as The Resurrection. Healer was not enough for where they were about to go. He wanted them to believe that as He went to the cross, He too would be The Resurrection.

Sickness + Heavenly Delay = Death

Death + Power of God = Resurrection

Resurrection = Glory of God.

When Jesus arrived on the grief stricken scene, He told Martha:

“Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40)

“If we would believe! We too will see the glory of God.” We have to choose to believe and not look at the situation alone. God must be added into everything we see and hear, knowing that He is very active and present in every detail of our lives.

“Lord, teach us to embrace your ways. When You linger and delay, give us expectant hearts that you are on the way and the glory of God will be seen. Teach us your way of love that moves by the Father’s voice. May we be willing to love the way you love and may we never doubt your love while we wait for You.”

A Tap On The Shoulder

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I was sitting in church intently listening when the preacher said, “There may come a time in your life when God taps you on the shoulder and how you respond to that tap will change your life forever.” As soon as the words came from his mouth, I felt a literal tap on my shoulder. At the close of the service, I turned to the couple sitting behind me and said, “That wasn’t funny.” They stared at me like I was a crazy woman while I proceeded to tell them, I knew that they had tapped me on the shoulder at the appropriate time. They were shocked by my words and I knew they stood innocent.

So where had the literal tap come from? Did someone drop something down from the balcony? Or had God really come close and tapped me? Had He singled me out? Was this the tap the preacher was referring to?

There was no explanation in the natural of what happened, but I took it very seriously. I went before the Lord trembling in prayer and told Him if that was His tap. My answer was yes. Whatever He wanted from me, it was a yes.

I remember in prior days a mentor had challenged me to be ready and expectant for God. Her words described us standing on our tiptoes with hands raised to God saying, “Choose me God. Choose me!” Living in a position of readiness was new to me at that time.

Needless to say, all of this together had me a bit freaked out; but in a good way.

Sometimes God’s ways of getting our attention are strange and unexplainable.

We can keep him in our “That Makes Sense” box or we can live this life of faith He beckons us to. Oftentimes there are no human explanations to the way things occur. Circumstances don’t look like, feel like or sound like it could possibly be God. But He is God and we are not and He is able to accomplish His will any way that He chooses. I am given the privilege to choose to respond by the spirit or by the flesh.

I could have stood up in church and demanded, “Who tapped me on the shoulder at just the right moment?” I could have spent hours thinking, pondering, seeking to understand what this was all about.

When I try to understand the ways of God with my mind,

I will become paralyzed by my own thinking and miss the Spirit.

Paralyzed with my own demand to understand will cause me to miss many surprises, treasures, revelations and experiences that await me. It is all part of Jesus comparing us to little children that believe with simple, unhindered faith, a faith that accepts God’s ways and thoughts are higher than mine. His ways are always right, although not always comfortable or pleasurable. His ways often lead us down paths of great suffering and sacrifice, but I will still say, “His ways are always right and best.”

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

(Isaiah 55:8-9)

Faith responds: “God I don’t understand what just happened. I don’t know what to do with the tap, but I say, “Yes”. I trust you God. I choose you and I choose your way. I take my own thoughts captive and choose your word over my own understanding.”

That one simple yes many years ago have led to many yes’s in my life. I am learning to trust Him more every day because His ways are always right. Is there some unexplainable things that you need to lay down today and accept that He is a good Father, perfect in all His ways? Do you need to lay down your demand to understand? Will you let Him have your “Yes”?

You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. Ps. 119:68

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“God requires our obedience before our understanding.”

-Christine Caine

Dancing To Your Own Music

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"Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding."

-Proverbs 2:2 (NLT)

When I first heard about the new concept of dancing at the wedding party, I thought it was the craziest thing ever and yet a brilliant idea. My friend told of how each guest were given a pair of headsets from which they could choose their style of music. Instead of starting out with a song you enjoyed dancing to, but quickly clearing the floor because there was no way you could keep up with the beat, you simply switched to a different playlist and danced the night away. Some would be two-stepping, while others swayed in each other’s arms to a slow song carefully attempting to not be tossed around by those rocking out to their favorite song.

What a concept to keep all on the dance floor the entire night. None had to miss out on the fun because their body would not co-operate with the necessary moves to crazy music. It was never too loud, too slow, too fast or too crazy. “It was just right.”

I listened as she described this new concept and saw a picture of the world we live in today. Everyone is dancing to their own music, their own preference, their own interpretation of right and wrong. If you don’t like what comes up just quickly reset the station to fit what you want. We are a comfort driven, me-focused generation. If someone else’s music gets too loud and too messy we can just elevate our song to tune them out.

The longer I ponder this, the more I find to ponder:

• It is a vital necessity in my life to turn up my God song and hear His voice clearly above all the crazy around me. His voice must drown out every other voice that seeks to draw my focus away from Him.

• I need to make sure my ears are tuned to the Master Songwriter. His name is God and He spoke the lyrics that put all of creation into motion.

• Caution: I will never reach a world for the Kingdom of God if I am unwilling to hear the song others are dancing to. I will simply tune them out and move on to my preference or belief.

• I can turn up my God song so loud that I never give others entrance to hear the song that drives my life.

• His song must be the song of my life that draws others into a dance with Him; not that causes them to sit this one out. The purpose of my song is not to press others into my mold, but that my life song would make Him so desirable to a world gone crazy.

This song is called Love. A love so great that it tears down walls and crushes barriers. It crosses the dance floor and listens, gives and serves. It lays down a preference to be loved so that the entire world may know the greatest dance partner ever.

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“Lord, may we hear your song clearly and may we be your song to a crazy messed up world. Sing your song of love deep into our hearts so transforming us that others see and hear You!”