Divine Delay
By Susan Klein
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9
Recently, I watched a taped interview on NBC’s Today Show with Meredith Viera. She spoke with a woman who was severely disfigured in a horrific accident. This woman virtually had no face left; eyes and nose gone and only a small hole remaining for a mouth. Now blind, she could not even rely on her hands to help her “see,” as they, too, were missing. It was very difficult for her to speak, and when she did, she barely uttered, “I take it day by day and just see how it goes, and I hope for the best.’’ By Susan Klein
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9
As I watched the interview, my gut churned and my heart ached for this woman! Tears streamed down my face at the cruelty of the situation. I could not begin to imagine living in her misshapen body and having “hope for the best.” I felt as if I would rather die than survive such a physically and emotionally painful ordeal. In my grief, I began to question my loving Creator. “Why, God?! Why would she have to survive this and have virtually no quality of life left? Wouldn’t it have been more humane to let her die? What could be your purpose in this?”
The words she spoke next gave me an answer. “There is something, some power, that kept me alive,” she managed in a tiny voice through the little hole. She apparently didn’t know her Creator, her Savior! She had some inkling that there was someone or something out there that had saved her, but didn’t know in what or whom to put her hope. God showed me His heart at that moment as He brought the verse above to my mind. He was being patient with her, desiring for her to come to know Him. He definitely had His reasons for letting her survive! And, His divine delay was giving her the possibility of another chance, one that could lead to life-everlasting!
My tears of pity turned to tears of hope. A gentle peace settled over me as I understood that my heavenly Father cares so much for this woman that He let her survive this agonizing accident. I no longer questioned His reasons. I thanked Him for His divine delay, and committed myself to pray for her.
Think of the joy it would bring to see her in heaven someday with a new and glorified body!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Will you commit to pray today for those with whom God is being patient?
2. Spend some time meditating on “The Great Commission” in Matthew chapter 28. What does this mean for you?
Susan is a wife and mother of two. She is the Coordinator of Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and one of its teachers.
