But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. JOH 11:22

 The ways of the Lord are often against all human reasoning. We read in JOH 11:3-4 that Lazarus's sisters sent unto Jesus saying, "Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. 4) When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."

It was after Lazarus was dead that Martha's faith was brought to where she could say, "But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee."

Scripture gives us many examples of how faith was tried in the face of human impossibilities. In MAT 15:22-28 we have the history of the woman of Canaan who came crying to Jesus in behalf of her daughter that was grieviously vexed.

Her first experience was that, "He answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us." When Jesus did answer her, He said, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

This seemed to be against all human reasoning for her to continue seeking Jesus, because she was not of the house of Israel. She did not give up, because her case was so urgent. "Even now," in the face of all this discouragement we read, "Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me." She was in distress and could not give up; but see what Jesus answered Her, "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs."

Oh, beloved, "even now," she could not be put off! See what a humble plea she brought before her Saviour, "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." "Even now," after she had been told by the disciples to go away and Jesus had so discouraged her these three times, see how that true living faith prevailed.

"Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."

There is such a distinction between true living faith and human reasoning. The prophet Elijah was strong in faith when He stood all alone to face the King and the armies of Isreal upon mount Carmel and prayed, "Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench," 1 Ki 18:37-38.

It was just the next day that Elijah's faith was not so strong, and he was using human reasoning. We read in 1KI 19:4 "But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers."

The day before Elijah had faith to face the King and all the armies of Israel, and now he was fleeing from the voice of a woman. Amen.