If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble ...

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?"

Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

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Timing is so important in life. When I consider why the Lord waited to come to Lazarus' I often forget that he had other things on his mind. As his disciples indicate here, there was a proverbial price on Jesus' head - people were seeking to kill him. It helps me to remember that life is not all about me as it was not all about Lazarus and his sisters. This is a difficult message to hear when we are hurting and wanting God to answer our prayers.

When Jesus speaks of walking in the day I think about how much safer it is to walk about the city during the day - I avoid late night walks because I do not feel as safe as I do during the day. It reminds me of how John writes this in his first letter:

God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ... If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

There is spiritual safety when we follow Christ. Interesting to note that the Lord speaks of the light not being in some. When we speak of following Christ we acknowledge that we have, and we follow, the inner light of Christ. It is a light of spiritual safety.

Lord help me to understand that there are reasons that you wait to come.