Our Last Minute God

Were you taught to not wait until the last minute, maybe for studying for a test, finishing a project or leaving for an appointment? Some people can’t stand the stress it will cause, while others live off the adrenaline rush they require to get things done.

My husband recently asked me why I waited til the last minute for something. I told him it’s not that I waited until the last minute, but I was busy doing this, this and this while I was doing that. He didn’t see me multitasking, working on it a little at a time until the deadline came and it looked like a rush to the finish. Has it ever happened to you? It’s “the tyranny of the urgent” when life tosses you the unexpected.

Have you ever noticed it seems God does things at the last minute? He’s even been called “The God of the Eleventh Hour.” At times it feels like the 11:59^th hour. Why do you suppose this is? Abraham and Sarah had to wait for God’s promise of a child until they were very old and beyond childbearing years (Genesis 18:11). The Israelites were being chased until they thought they’d drown (Exodus 14:21-22). And Lazarus, he was already dead when Jesus showed up (John 11:1-44).

Which is the greater miracle, a healing or a resurrection? Some could pass a healing off as he was going to get well anyway, or maybe it was something man did to make him well. But to be brought back to life after being in the grave for four days? Mary even argued with Jesus that Lazarus “stinketh” (v39 KJV), to which Jesus answered, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” You see, back in verse 4, before Lazarus died Jesus had said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Was Mary contesting, “But Lord, you said…”? Or did she not remember what Jesus had said? I imagine she, often like us, didn’t understand His ways (Isaiah 55:9).

Sometimes believing means waiting – waiting until things look beyond repair. Sometimes it does seem God waits until beyond the last minute. But He does it for a good reason: to show His greater glory. (click to tweet)

But there’s another reason. In verse 15 Jesus said he was glad He wasn’t there. Why? So they “may believe.” This gave them the opportunity to experience God’s power and glory. God is always working to increase our faith. Although, sometimes our faith wanes instead. Perhaps it’s a test of our faith.

Ephesians 3:20 tells us, “God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.” He did exceedingly abundantly above what any of them thought with Lazarus, Abraham and Sarah, and the Israelites. And He will do it for us, because He is the “same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

This raises some questions for us:

Do we really believe God will answer our prayers?

Do we trust His timing, even when by our standard it looks like it’s too late?

Do we give up praying when things look to us to be irredeemable?

No. We must be willing to ask for His will and His timing so we may experience His greater miracle.

The enemy wants us in fear, doubt and discouragement because he knows the power of faith-filled prayer! He knows God’s power and glory and doesn’t want us to have it.

Do not doubt. Do not fear. Only believe (Mark 5:36). We have no idea what miracles will be released if we keep praying. (click to tweet)  To “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) does not mean we are to pray every minute of the day, but to not give up praying. It means to trust every minute. It means to be relentless; to not stop praying and believing until we see our miracle.

He’s not the God of the last minute. He’s the God of above and beyond what we think is the last minute. Like me working when my husband didn’t see it, God is always working. He works unseen all things for good (Romans 8:28)

Pray without ceasing for His will, and wait. You will see the power and glory of His divine hand – His yet unseen, unexpected miracle.

“Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him.” – Isaiah 30:18

What are you currently praying for that seems beyond reach? Remember, He is the God of the impossible (Luke 1:37).

With God, it’s impossible to be impossible.

Have you seen God’s power and glory in answered prayer? Please share, we’d all love to have our faith built through your testimony.

Thank so much for stopping by!

Would you like to strengthen your prayer life? Our families, our country and our world certainly need our faithful, fervent prayers. Pursuing Prayer is great for personal or group study. Find out more here.

Pursuing Prayer is the winner of a 2020 Selah Award and is available on Amazon or anywhere books are sold.

Also, we can’t always depend on social media to show these posts, so I hope you’ll subscribe to my blog so I can continue to encourage you. (I will never flood your inbox or share your email.) When you do, you will receive my free PDF, “Ten Prayer Tips for Busy Days.” I hope you’ll subscribe here so we can stay in touch.