John 11:21-22 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
Even now….
She had lost her brother, Lazarus, four days earlier. All hope for his recovery had vanished as the mournful reality settled in. She knew Jesus could have healed Lazarus if he’d arrived sooner. But she didn’t let her disappointment destroy her faith. Even now, even when Jesus didn’t do what she expected, even when his delayed coming had plunged her into grief, even when her whys remained unanswered, she didn’t waver in her belief of who he was. “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” (John 11:27).
And within the hour, her even now translated into a miracle.
No one goes through life without experiencing disappointment. I imagine some of you right now have some unanswered whys hanging over your head. The question is not whether we will face discouraging times, but how we will walk through them. When Jesus doesn’t answer our prayers the way we want, will we still believe in him? Will we stand in the steadfast assurance that he has a greater purpose than our present pain? I believe God desires his children to be even now people.
Even now….
Scripture provides ample evidence of even now people. People who remained faithful to God even when they didn’t understand what he was doing. Folks like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Job, pretty much all of the Old Testament prophets. And how about the psalmist who declares that God remains our refuge and strength even when the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the sea (Psalm 45:1-2). They all placed their hope on something greater than the now.
Mark Batterson warns us not to put a period where God puts a comma. I would include an ellipsis […], the indication there’s more to come. All too often I think we conclude the story only to realize later we were only on Chapter Three.
So whether you presently find yourself in the throes of personal disappointment, or circumstances on the world stage are hanging over you like an ominous cloud, remember this….
Even now, God is in control, even now, he works for your good. Even now my friend, even now.