The Greater Thing

I love fog. I being in fog! Its atmosphere is both peaceful and mysterious. When I’m driving or walking I can only see so far ahead of me, surrounded by silent, grey-white coolness … it feels as if I’m in a much tinier world!

I grabbed my camera this morning when I went on my walk, hoping to capture some of the misty beauty I was eager to get out in … when I thought how perfectly the pictures would go with a post I’ve been planning to do for a couple weeks! Funny how that works. ;) It’s not about fog … but God has put so much in nature that can metaphorically apply to the fundamental truths of His word, hasn’t He?

Last Friday’s reading in My Utmost for His Highest was on “God’s Silence.” I loved how Chambers brought in the story of the death of Lazarus – the fact that Jesus waited two days to respond to Mary and Martha’s plea as Lazarus lay dying. The reason, of course, that Jesus let Lazarus die (and thus indirectly put Mary and Martha through such heartache) was so that He could give an even greater sign to Lazarus’ sisters, His apostles, and everyone else than “just” healing a sick man. He did it so that he could raise Lazarus from the dead.

But bringing about this “greater” thing required waiting on the part of those receiving its benefit. And not just waiting but pain. Hurt. Confusion. Can’t you feel Mary’s anguish as she cries to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died!” But Jesus hadn’t been there. He had, in fact, delayed two whole days after hearing of Lazarus’ illness before even traveling to Bethany. He could have kept Mary and Martha from the sorrow of their brother’s death, but He didn’t.

Mary and Martha were certain their brother was gone. They knew they wouldn’t see him again till the final resurrection. And then Jesus brought about something greater. Out of the waiting, the pain, the confusion, the grief – He brought glorious life, a powerful sign, and such joy.

How powerful is that story when I really stop and think about its application to my life?? So often I feel that I am waiting in the silence of my Lord, standing in a foggy place where my steps,though guided, are only led by one or two feet at a time. Sometimes I cry out with Mary’s confusion, unable to see anything but the present uncertainty and desire to know why.

 

Until I am reminded that this silence, this fog, is because God has something greater for me. I may not see or understand, but I can trust that He knows so much better than I do what is for His greater glory, and therefore for my greater good. And in that certainty, I can rest with so much joy and security and confidence – and excitement as I live one day at a time in His presence, in this fog that, though it blocks my view, surrounds me with an everlasting love.

Waiting in God’s silence naturally brings with it some heartache here on earth. It’s the nature of the beast. Through God’s wisdom we are only allowed to see a sliver of life, and consequently we get confused and we get hurt because of what we can’t see. Job didn’t know that God was using him as an example that would be for our learning thousands of years later – all he saw was that he, a blameless man, had suddenly lost his children, his servants, his wealth, and his health in one fell swoop, his wife was telling him to curse God and die, and his friends were writing him off as a hypocritical sinner. He didn’t understand the greater thing that God was bringing about. And there are times we definitely won’t either.

But one thing we certainly will– we will see it bringing us closer to God, increasing our faith by quantum leaps, and giving us a security that can’t be shaken. We will see it giving us the conviction of things not seen. We will be able to sing with confidence, “for I know, whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well!” And that is definitely a greater thing. 

So embrace the fog and live with joy! And know that, no matter how insignificant you feel or how great the mystery of your life at the moment, God is busy – bringing about the greater thing.

 

 "Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him." John 11:45