“Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) So, the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” John 11: 1-4

Lazarus and Jesus had developed a close relationship. Jesus would spend time with the family, eat their food and take some rest. He was at home. Lazarus and his family seem to have given their best to this relationship, withholding nothing. Then Lazarus fell sick. Mary and her sister were adamant that Jesus would come over swiftly to save their dying brother. Jesus delayed and Lazarus died. Mary and Martha still had hope that Jesus would somehow save the day, their faith quickly eroded when they saw the body decaying and had to bury him.

What do we do when God seems to have delayed or failed us? We need to learn the silence of God. When he is quiet, he is still standing with us, whether we feel it or not, we can trust the instructions he had already given us personally and in his word. When we go through the valley, it is but for a short season. God always tests his children before entrusting them with greater responsibility. Few lessons we can draw from this story:

1. God’s timing and ways are not our own: Isaiah 55: 8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”

2. God’s faithfulness: This sickness will not end in death he promised. God has a track record of keeping his word, we can trust him fully. Numbers 23:19 says “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?”

In conclusion, God’s silence does not mean his absence, if we only trust him, he will not disappoint us. He knows what is best for us and we can count on his promises.