When God Doesn't Move

**Sit quietly, eyes closed and in silence for one minute before reading.**

    At times we wonder why God will not move. He will not take action. If He can do (fill in the blank) then why doesn’t He do (fill in the blank)? Why does God hold back? At the death of Lazarus people were asking why Jesus didn’t keep Lazarus from dying if He could open the eyes of a blind man. Two core questions are really being asked by these people and by us. Is God good and is God sovereign? In other words, is He both loving and great? There is a struggle to reconcile if God is BOTH good and great. There are times when God is obviously great but He doesn’t seem like a very loving God. There are other times when God is obviously good but doesn’t seem to have much power.

    The truth is that God is both, all the time. He cannot be good without being great and He cannot be great without being good. God is always loving even though the outcome is not what we wanted it to be. God is still sovereign even though the outcome is not what we wanted it to be.

    My struggle to reconcile these truths and my experience varies depending on what I am going through. Do you struggle with one or the other? Maybe you struggle with both? Talk to God, let Him know how you’re struggling and allow Him to meet you in your struggle.

Have more than two minutes: Read the story mentioned about in the Gospeh of John 11:28-37.

**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

Personal Response

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

    Personal Response. God is a personal God, responding to us exactly how we need it in the moment. He meets us in our tears, He meets us in our joy, He meets us in our questions. He responds to us how we need Him in the moment.
    In the story of Mary, Martha and the death of their brother Lazarus Jesus responds to both women differently. Both run to Jesus and make the same statement of reality - if Jesus had been there their brother would not have died. In her personal interaction with Jesus Martha makes a statement of belief and Jesus responds to her with a dialogue. He doesn’t question Martha and why she isn’t crying. In Mary's personal interaction with Jesus she is weeping and Jesus joins her in her tears. He doesn’t question Mary and why she is crying.
     Can you recall a time that God has personally met you exactly how you needed it? How can you respond to others how they need it?

**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**

Have more than two minutes? Read the story mentioned above in John 11:1-35