In our zeal to bring forth The Kingdom, we can and often subject ourselves to distractions. These distractions serve to delay or alter the purpose FATHER has called us to complete. We will rationalize away the distraction by assigning benefit to the distraction and calling it “good”. A beloved sister of mine shared the following story similar to the following:
A man was told by FATHER to proceed to a specific town to do a specific thing for HIM. On the way, the man stops at café and another man sits down beside him. They strike up a conversation and the first man ministers salvation to the second man. After the delay, the first man arrives at his destination and finally accomplishes what he was sent to do.
Was the delay the perfect plan of FATHER? No. The man did good but not his best. When FATHER tells us to do something and we add or subtract from it, we did not do according to what HE told us to do and there are ramifications to that disobedience. In order to walk out HIS perfect Will, we must pay attention to detail and not assign our own desires and results as being pleasing to HIM. It is critical that we develop the discipline in our individual lives to not get ahead of what FATHER is instructing us to do. It is as important to know when to do something as it is knowing what to do.
In John chapter 10 the Jews sought to stone Jesus:
39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.
40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed.
41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.”
42 And many believed in Him there.
In chapter 11, Mary and Martha innocently attempted to distract Jesus from what He was told to do by FATHER. Their circumstances moved them to compel Jesus to stop what He was doing and immediately respond to their need for Lazarus to be healed:
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.”
Was the intent of the sisters good? Yes. Was it FATHER’S perfect Will for Jesus to respond immediately and go to Bethany to heal Lazarus? No. We must resist the temptation to respond emotionally to circumstances out of our own desires, associations, or convenience. We must resist the temptation to respond to any crisis demanding our attention. Our focus must stay on what FATHER has instructed us to do. This is true stewardship and maturity of a Son.
17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.
18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away.
19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
The women were distraught that Jesus did not immediately come and heal Lazarus. In fact, He waited four days after Lazarus’ death to arrive on the scene. We all know the rest of the story that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead:
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”
43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”
44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
Had Jesus responded to Mary upon her summons, the people would not have seen the glory of GOD in this fashion. They would have looked at death as being permanent and they would have assumed that Jesus was restricted by man’s physical death. As a result of the the raising of Lazarus, FATHER’S plan was being perfectly walked out by HIS Son. We too must endeavor to not get ahead of FATHER but must be diligent to be sensitive to respond to HIS Word not adding to or subtracting from what HE has called us to do. We must be vigilant to respond to FATHER’S perfect Plan, Will, and Purpose rather than man’s situations.