It is quite possible that we often overlook what God would want to do. We might anticipate God doing great things but then we limit our anticipation because of the situations around us. In John chapter 11, Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, is sick and then dies. Jesus arrives but He seems to be too late the sickness has turned to death and Lazarus has been buried for four days. Martha had anticipated that God would work, she knew the power of the Lord, therefore when Jesus does arrive she declares, with a little frustration, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus then said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” and Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”(vs. 21-24) Jesus then talks about how He is the resurrection and how those that believe in Him will never die. Mary says that she believes these words. (vs. 25-27)
Mary believed that if Jesus had been there when Lazarus was sick, there would have been hope, however, now that Lazarus had died she pushes the words of Jesus about how Lazarus shall rise, the resurrection and her hope of God’s intervention to the distant future. She believes but only for something far ahead, in the distant resurrection.
The words of Jesus, that Lazarus will arise, seem not to have affected her present frustration, because when Jesus asks for the stone to be rolled away from the front of the tomb, it is Martha that objects saying that they should not do that because Lazarus has been dead for four days and the stench of the tomb will be terrible. She was not anticipating a miracle, she anticipated a vile odor.
Of course a miracle took place. Jesus did more than Martha had anticipated.
Perhaps God wants to do more than you anticipate in your situations. Relax, open your eyes look to see what He will do!
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