[The reality is, is that this blog has become my one and only (primary) blog — my other two are really ‘in-active’ (my ‘health blog’ for good reason) — that being the case, you can expect posts more broadly focused than just issues surrounding ‘EC’ and Calvinism (at least from this post on). I will be posting on mostly “Calvinist” related issues, but since this is a blog, I will be posting stuff on all areas of doctrine and application]
I have a friend who is really going through it right now, his marriage is unwraveling, and in the most nightmarish of ways (I can’t/won’t share the details). My friend, who loves the Lord, is a season where he cannot understand why the Lord does not make a move (apparently so); he really is in a tortuous situation.
I just picked up an old book on the Gospel of John by Leon Morris, I wanted to check out what he had to say on a passage the Lord gave to me as 
I went through the cancer stuff (cf. Jn. 11.4 “this sickness is not unto death”). Instead, what I came across was his comment on John 11.6 — the Lazarus/resurrection story — this is where Jesus is told that Lazarus is sick, and then he “waits” two more days before he heads out to help; it says:
“So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. . . .” ~John 11.6
Morris comments:
Having made clear, John goes on to say that Jesus stayed where he was for two days (v. 6). This is very unexpected. We would have anticipated that Jesus would take immediate action to help his friends. We should perhaps notice that in two previous incidents Jesus was urged to do things that he did not do as and when people asked him to do them, but rather did them in due course. This was the case when his mother spoke to him at the marriage in Cana (ch. 2) and again when his brothers told him to go up to Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles (ch. 7). In all three cases, it seems, Jesus waited for the proper moment. He acted in accordance with the will of God rather than in accordance with the suggestions people might make. He acted in God’s good time, not at the time that human wisdom deemed best. (Leon Morris, “Expository Reflections on the Gospel of John,” 404-05)
This is the truth. It isn’t going to comfort my friend, necessarily, at least not in the moment. This kind of ‘truth’ didn’t or wouldn’t have comforted me much when I was going through the cancer stuff. In fact, this kind of ‘truth’ didn’t even necessarily comfort Jesus in His ‘passion’ — He wanted it to pass (He cried out with great tears, as Hebrews says).
But it is the truth! It isn’t that the Lord isn’t acting for you, it is in fact, that He is! When the season or moment seems most desparate, when it seems like “now” would be the perfect time for Him to show up — and make it all better — and He doesn’t (appear to); then we need to remember this truth (and keep crying). What we need to realize (and often it’s not until we’re through that particular moment of nightmarish proportions) is that all of the suffering, all of the crying and anguish is redeemed by the ‘vicarious humanity of God’s life in Christ for us’. That when we cry, we participate in and out of the intercessory and prayer work of Jesus — our high priest — Himself. Jesus learned obedience and patience through suffering (according to Hebrews), are we better than our Master?
I come back to my friend (please pray for him). It seems like right “now” would be the perfect time for the Lord to do something. At the moment, like with Lazarus He appears to be waiting, but really only to do something grander; to bring life from the dead, isn’t this what Lazarus’ resurrection foreshadowed in the narrative of John’s Gospel? My friend, just around the corner, is going to experience the resurrection power of Jesus in His life. It probably won’t look like what He thinks, things might get worse before better; but He’s going to experience resurrection in the perfect time, and He’ll look exactly the way He should look — like Jesus!
A little devotion π .
I was re-reflecting on another “waiting” passage recently: Mark 5. It looks like His priorities are all out of whack – surely the bleeding woman could wait, Jesus you need to run to the girl! Now! But Jesus is infuriatingly unmanageable. He’s bigger than the storm (Mark 4:35-41); He’s bigger than the demons (Mark 5:1-20) and He’s bigger than death (Mark 5:21-43). But that means His priorities look *very* different to ours and it completely freaks out everyone around Him. Our whole “To do” list is determined by these bigger powers – danger, demons and death. But if you can raise the dead your schedule is gonna look different. Very different.
Which in the first instance is infuriating (everyone around Him is freaking out in these passages!). But in the end it’s resurrection and feasting (Mark 5:43).
I do love a devotional evangelical calvinist. π
Also, on the EC angle…
The frustrations we feel about Christ’s timings etc are not about some inscrutable divine “sovereignty”. It’s not that the explanation for His delays is locked away in some capricious secret will: “You can die… You can live… You, you and you can get cancer…” The explanation for the delays is all on show in the fact that He *is* the Resurrection. Because He’s the Resurrection, therefore He’s not in thrall to the powers of the old age whose drum-beat *we* dance to. Because He’s the Resurrection He dances to a different beat that necessarily grates with how we naturally roll. But His will is single – Resurrection. It’s only testament to the fallenness of this world that we experience that will as an excruciating wait. But in the end, we’ll rise and shine!
Glen,
Amen. Thank you for sharing from the “Markan” perspective, now all we need is one from Matthew and Luke and the picture on this will be complete π .
Seriously, really good stuff, Glen! Very encouraging, although not always what we “want” to hear in the midst of personal crisis — but what we need to hear inspite of that. I like what you say here:
Amen and amen on the sovereignty point, Amen! His will is “single” indeed — just as sure as we worship One God — all I can say on your points here, Glen, is Amen!!
I am going to try and be more “devotional” in the days to come (I mean via posts here, in person I am more “devotional” than might first appear on the blog here π ). Thanks, Glen!
I’m glad for that Bobby! I read early on that TFT was heavy on the praxis as well as the Theology. He worked to connect the theology with “real life”. I’ve been dying to see some of this come into the light.
We live this stuff. Frankly, I think all Christians live it. But what do you do with it if you’ve been taught prosperity gospel? How about Fed Cal?
How about EC? Many of my comments have been geared toward connecting what you’re writing, to what I’m experiencing. I’ve also tried to fold EC together with life in sharing with my friends and family. Jesus took on flesh and blood because of His love for the Father, and His love for us. We Are flesh and blood. So the devotional just flows out of thinking about what He has done for us, in the midst of our trials.
Duane,
Amen! That’s what I also seek to do as well; live out, by the Spirit, of the life of Christ with whom I am united. I want folks to know that I belong to Jesus, and that they do as well (even if they don’t know it or obey that reality).
Oh, Bobby!
Learning to wait patiently on the God of All Comfort can be so hard–as He stretches us beyond the limits of our own capability, for our own good and His glory.
Really hard, Heather!