DELAY MAY NOT MEAN DENIAL - All Our Daily Bread Daily Devotionals for 2026

Our Daily Bread - Wednesday, December 29, 2016
by RBC Ministries

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DELAY MAY NOT MEAN DENIAL

READ:

When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
-John 11:6

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Zechariah 9-12
Revelation 20

My sons' birthdays are in December. When they were small, Angus quickly learned that if he didn't receive a long-for toy for his birthday at the beginning of the month, it might be in his Christmas stocking. And if David didn't receive his gift for Christmas, it might appear for his birthday 4 days later. Delay didn't mean denial.
It was natural for Martha and Mary to send for Jesus when Lazarus became seriously ill (John 11:1-3). Perhaps they looked anxiously along the road for signs of His arrival, but Jesus didn't come. The funeral service had been over for 4 days when Jesus finally walked into town (v.17).
Martha was blunt. "If You had been here," she said, "my brother would not have died" (v.21). Then her faith flickered into certainty, "Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You" (v.22). I wonder what she had expected. Lazarus was dead, and she was wary about opening the tomb. And yet at a word from Jesus, Lazarus' spirit returned to his decaying body (vv.41-44). Jesus had bypassed simply healing His sick friend, in order to perform the far greater miracle of bringing him back to life.
Waiting for God's timing may also give us a greater miracle than we hoped for. - Marion Stroud
My Saviour hears me when I pray,
Upon His Word I calmly rest;
In His own time, in His own way,
I know He will give me what is best. - Hewitt

Time spent waiting on God is never wasted.

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