like “fashionably late” to describe the benefits of not arriving on

time.  Being late on purpose is one step further than someone who is

carelessly late or just couldn’t seem to get there on time.   It can

feel like a slap in the face to everyone else involved, like there just

wasn’t enough consideration or respect for those who were waiting.  Many

times in our lives, it feels like God is late.  We have a crisis or

some burden on our lives and we take it to the Lord.  But He doesn’t act

when we think we need Him too – and things happen that we wish never

happened.  What is God doing?  Is it evidence that God doesn’t care or

doesn’t pay attention?  We’re going to look at the start of a story that

begins with Jesus being purposefully late – and His waiting brings

about catastrophic results.  But Jesus seems to see the whole situation

differently than everyone else around Him.