Why did Jesus wait?

This sermon addresses the challenging question of why God seems to delay or is "late" in responding to prayers, particularly when people are facing prolonged troubles, drawing specifically on the Biblical account of Jesus resurrecting Lazarus four days after his death. The speaker proposes three spiritual reasons for God's apparent unresponsiveness. The first reason is that God often waits to perform a greater and more marvelous act than what was originally requested, using the examples of Lazarus's resurrection (versus a simple healing) and the parting of the Red Sea (versus Pharaoh simply releasing the Israelites). The second reason is that delays and hard times serve to reveal and strengthen one's faith, growing it through successive tests and temptations, much like Abraham's faith developed over time. Finally, the third reason is that God's timing ensures that events unfold at the perfectly appointed time for everything under heaven, as illustrated by Joseph's prolonged imprisonment leading him to a position of ultimate influence rather than simply a quick release back into servitude.