“I know that even now God will give you what you ask.” John 11:22 NIV
“Yesterday’s possibilities are gone; today’s remain unlimited.”
My thoughts today ask “why not now?”
Opportunity normally has a time limit. William Shakespeare voiced this idea when he wrote, “There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.” Julius Caesar. A window of opportunity can be missed, leaving only regret of what might have been.
Upon the sickness and death of her brother, Martha must have felt like any possibility of good was now gone. Read John 11:1-44. Lazarus had been sick and now was buried, yet Jesus had delayed his arrival four days. Martha’s hope dimmed with Jesus’ delay; her hope all but died with Lazarus’ burial. Her rational conclusion was, “If (Jesus) had been here, my brother would not have died.” Then Martha may have surprised even herself with her words, “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” John 11:21-22 NIV.
Can you hear a tiny spark of daring faith in Martha’s words? Despite this turn of events for the worse, her faith in God reached beyond her present reality; Lazarus was buried, “but even now.” She made room for God to do the unimaginable. She may not have dared believe for the restoration of life but she trusted that the calendar did not limit God’s miracles.
Martha struggled with her loss but chose to believe her family’s situation – “even now” was not apart from God’s sovereignty. Now is the time frame in which God can work. Whatever preceded this moment, however difficult or even impossible it is or seems, you must believe that “even now” God can do “exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or even think.” Ephesians 3:20.
Yesterday’s possibilities are gone; today’s remain unlimited. Have you had one of those moments recently, or maybe you’re walking in one right now, when something has become so unlikely – the opportunity has come and has gone; the degree of difficulty has only multiplied; every human possibility grows more remote each minute? Faith in God is not about yesterday or tomorrow; faith is for today, even now! See Hebrews 11:1/13:20-21. I saw a sign in a shop that read, “The difficult we can do while you wait; the impossible will take a little longer.” Time is no impediment for God. Now may not seem the opportune time, but it could be God’s time to amaze you.
My prayer for you today is: remove any limit of time or difficulty you place on God.