God Doesn’t Do Emergencies

“So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” (John 11:6)

As finite beings, it is our nature to have emergencies. Things happen, and we must react within a certain time frame. We have plans, goals, and schedules. We also face disasters, difficulties, and crises. But God, as an infinite being, has no such limitations. This is why God doesn’t do emergencies.

It is striking to read how nonchalantly Jesus responds to news of Lazarus’ sickness in John 11. His sisters are urgent: “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” You can hear the note of distress in their pleading. This time, if ever, was a time for Jesus to make haste, to book the closest chariot, and get to the village of Bethany with speed. Jesus has a window of opportunity to heal this sickness (the sisters thought), if only he will hurry.

But Jesus senses no such rush. In fact, he stays where he is for two days longer, and by the time that he will eventually arrive in Bethany, Lazarus will not just be dead – he will be decomposing, clearly beyond the limits of help.

But this is only from the perspective of eyes of sight. In the words of my former seminary professor, “God doesn’t do emergencies. There are no ER visits in God’s kingdom.”

This is a hard lesson for us to learn. We are naturally impatient, and we respond to crises by assuming that things must resolve quickly. We are discontent to wait on God’s timing. But when we are in a hurry, often God is not.

What ‘emergency’ are you dealing with? What do you think must be resolved now, or else there is no hope? These crises often bring stress and anxiety into our lives. But God is not worried. He is sovereignly, calmly, providentially working all things out according to his will. He is content to bring his kingdom into the world, not through some grand explosion of truth, but patiently, over time – and sometimes over centuries and generations. It is the same with the problems in your life. He will help you, but it may not be on your timeframe. He is confident in his own ability to work all things together for good, and that is why he is in no rush to resolve things immediately.