John 11:39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
John 11:40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
There are moments when all seems lost. The dream has died. The opportunity has passed. The prayer feels unanswered. Like Martha, you stand at the tomb of what once was, surrounded by the stench of delay, wondering why Jesus didn’t come sooner.
Lazarus had been dead for four days. Not four hours. Not one day. Four full days of mourning, of finality, of hopelessness. In their eyes, Jesus was too late. But timing in the kingdom is not measured by clocks or calendars. God doesn’t operate on our schedule—He works on His divine timeline, where delays are not denials but setups for greater glory.
Yes, there was doubt. Yes, there was decay. But Jesus challenged Martha—and He challenges us—not to focus on the smell of death, but to believe in the power of life. “Did I not tell you,” He says, “if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” That word still echoes today. You may be standing in front of something that looks too far gone—but if Jesus is present, then hope is not buried—it’s about to rise.
He may not come when you expect Him. But when He comes, He comes with resurrection power. He comes with authority. He comes with glory. And when He speaks, even death has to let go. Even when He is four days late—He is still right on time.
Further readings:
Isa 55:8–9
Eccl 3:11
Rom 4:17
Blessed Day