“A certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’
“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… Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.’ Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.'” John 11:1-7,11-15
Things were urgent, fears rife. Their brother was declining by the minute and Jesus had to come, now. He’d healed others, surely He could save His beloved Lazarus! The frenzy in Mary and Martha’s message was met with a peaceful calm by their divine Friend. He who held time and goodness in His hands always had the big picture in mind and His Father’s glory at the fore. He stayed where He was, ignoring tensions all around, perfectly in synch with God’s purpose and timetable. All would be well, all was for their sake and greater belief, all was for God’s glory. (John 11:21-27,38-44)
Fear of death and other urgencies pummel our days and hours. Everything can be drastic, now, if we allow ourselves to slip out from under God’s benevolent rule. Enemies stalk, problems pester, pressures mount, and we get exasperated and desperate in the screaming hectic NOW. Where is Jesus?!? Why doesn’t He come and rescue, relieve, solve, heal?
In contrast to our finite thinking and frenetic doing is the perfect, judicious, serene control of the Almighty. His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways, His time not our own. He is ever aware and vigilant about His Father’s time and purpose, always behind the scenes orchestrating a greater glory than is on our radar. His invisibility compels us to look beyond, trust more fully, believe more deeply, yearn more broadly. (Isaiah 55:8-9; John 7:6)
What present challenges are sucking perspective and torquing me into a frenzy? Where have I allowed a person or situation to take me captive to angst and unreasonable demands? What unknowns can I bring to Christ’s omniscience, what fears to His control, what tensions to His calm?
How has the Lord shown glory through earlier circumstances, and what might He be working in mine today? Looking to Him and His majestic, infinite splendor will expand expectation. Trusting Him in all things will settle our souls.
Father, help me look for, trust, and proclaim Your greater glory in the ordinary of things. 
As the rain and snow 