Unhurried
“So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather, it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.”
Luke 11:3-6
We’ve all been there. You get into the car and whip out your navigation app only to realize that you will most likely be 10 minutes late to your next appointment. To make things worse, as you begin driving, you notice an abundance of traffic. The pressure of the clock raises your anxiety level. For many, this experience of feeling rushed is a common one. And this is often true whether we are scheduled to arrive early or late. The experience of driving in traffic can make us feel hurried.
Of course, Jesus never drove a car, but I’ve often wondered what kind of driver He would be. What kind of car would He drive? While the answer to such questions are only speculations, one thing is certain: He would be unhurried. In our Gospel reading today from John 11, we read the story about Jesus’s friend Lazarus who passed away. We know that Jesus loved Lazarus because we read that He “wept,” (John 11:35) which was one of only two accounts of Jesus crying (see also Luke 19:41). That said, when Jesus learned that His friend was sick, He didn’t rush to visit him. John tells us that “after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” (John 11:6) Admittedly, Jesus’s inaction here is a bit shocking. Why doesn’t He go right away? Shouldn’t He make haste to visit His friend? Jesus’ unhurriedness challenges our modern sensibilities. In our fast-paced world, we often expect immediate results.
And yet, Jesus demonstrates for us not only the virtue of patience, but of quiet confidence. Jesus is unhurried precisely because He knows that God is in control. So, as you begin your day today, I invite you to be unhurried. Allow yourself to rest in God. Doing so will give you a quiet confidence and peace, knowing that God is in control.
Prayer “For Quiet Confidence”
O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1
1 “The Book of Common Prayer,” p. 832.
