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DELAY IS NEVER DENIAL - THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

DATE: FRIDAY, 18TH MARCH, 2022 

TOPIC: DELAY IS NEVER DENIAL

TEXT: JOHN 11:1-17 


1. Now a certain [man] was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2. It was [that] Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

3. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."

4. When Jesus heard [that,] He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."

5.  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

6.  So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

7.  Then after this He said to [the] disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."

8.  [The] disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?"

9.  Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

10.  "But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

11.  These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up."

12.  Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well."

13.  However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

14.  Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.

15.  "And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him."

16.  Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."

17.  So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.


MESSAGE: 

The text today tells us the story of Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha. It further describes that Jesus loved all three of them. Unfortunately, He received news that Lazarus was sick. However, Jesus deliberately stayed two days more and we learn that Lazarus eventually ‘slept’ (v.11). It was at that point Jesus now decided to go visit Lazarus to wake him up. One would wonder why Jesus would deliberately stay back two extra days knowing that Lazarus would die. Jesus’ response when He got the news gives us an assurance, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God…” Though He delayed two days, Jesus was going to turn that terrible situation to the glory of God.


 As Christians, we often feel God is not quick to answer some prayers. We easily look for other alternatives if God does not respond immediately. We forget that God can turn every situation around to glorify His name and to bring us more blessings. We should continually hold on to God’s unchanging grace, even when things seem so bad. He will surely use you to glorify His name to those around you.


PRAYER: 

Lord Jesus, I rest on Your unchanging grace, help me to keep looking unto You in every situation as the Author and Finisher of my faith. Amen.

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