Jesus works in His own time and He is doing pretty good so far, so trust Him.
Don’t you hate that feeling of waiting for big news when you know its coming? The anticipation builds as you sit by the phone to hear if you got the new job or got accepted into your dream school. You nervously wait in the waiting room to hear about the new baby boy or girl or, perhaps the worst wait of all, you sit silently and awkwardly as you wait for the waiter or waitress to round the corner with the food you ordered. This feeling of waiting is one that is as exciting as it is terrifying (which is what makes it so fun)!
I find myself waiting on Jesus, sometimes. I know He can do it. I know He can open the door to this new career opportunity. I know He can heal this relationship. I know He can stop the desire to sin inside me. I know He can do these things…right? All of a sudden, though, when He isn’t doing the exact thing I wanted Him to do in the exact way I wanted Him to do it, I begin to question the validity of who Jesus said He was.
How often do we say to Jesus what the Jews in John 10:24 said to Him? “How long will you keep us in suspense?” How long will you keep me waiting, Lord? How long? The Jewish people feel as though Jesus is playing some type of game with them when, in reality, he has been quite upfront the whole time. How much do we do the same?
I like the popular Hillsong Worship song, “Who You Say I Am” because it declares a truth about who we are as God’s creation, His craftsmanship. Let us not forget, however, that even more important than who God says we are, God makes it very clear who He is. Jesus, while sometimes delaying His revelation as the Son of God for the sake of His continued ministry, makes it clear that His purpose is by and through the Father. He would not be revealed until the right time nor would He be arrested until the right time, as we see in verse 39.
What does all of this mean for you? For us? It means that Jesus is who He said He was and we can trust Him. We don’t have to sit wondering if Jesus is going to come through this time, because we know He already did. He told us who He was and He told us what would happen, but “you do not believe” (v. 25). Jesus works in His own time and He is doing pretty good so far, so trust Him. Trust that He is the Son of God and the Good Shepherd, who will not lead his sheep astray or let even one wander off.
