John 11:40  “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

Belief is necessary for glory to be seen.  A host of people were standing around Lazarus’ tomb.  Some were friendly to Jesus, some were opposed, all were interested in what He was about to do.

Few had much faith, none could expect what was going to happen, but even the tiniest seeds of faith can move mountains and the rudiments of belief were all that was necessary to see God’s glory.

Those who believed in Jesus that day still had a faith limited by what they understood to be possible. When Jesus had not acted within the grid of those expectations by healing Lazarus or getting there in time to raise him before they believed his spirit had departed, they were disappointed.

But Jesus didn’t explain. He didn’t vindicate to His disciples His decision to wait.  He didn’t comfort the grieving sisters with a preview of His plan. He just said if they would believe they would see the glory of God.

Jesus still calls us to do that. When we’re disappointed because He doesn’t act in ways that we can conceive, when He seems too late, when our heads swim with grief and unmet expectations, we need to heed His call to simply believe, and let Him take our faith to that next level of understanding and the experience of His glory.