The Right Time

What do you think of when you hear the word “time”? A clock telling you the time. A stopwatch measuring your personal best run. A magazine with current event stories of the day. History that looks back to WWII or Vietnam.

For you, does time move slowly or fly by?

Time is an interesting commodity. A day at the hospital seems to last forever. A week of vacation seems over as soon as it starts. This moment is all we have to live and yet we spend so much effort looking forward to what is coming with anticipation or worry and looking back to what has passed with fond memories or regret.

Not so with God. He sees all time at one moment. He is not limited by time as we are. Therefore, He can step into the line of history at exactly the perfect time. He is never late. But, He is never early either.

Galatians 4:4-5 records that “when the time came to completion, God sent his Son.” When time was fully ripe, God picked the fruit of the sending of Jesus to be born in Bethlehem. It was the perfect time — not a moment too soon but not a second late.

What does that mean for us? It means that if God can get the huge event of the Savior of the world being born exactly on-time, He can certainly get the events in our lives exactly on-time.

That sickness is not early. That pregnancy is not late. That business opportunity is not mistimed. That calling from God is not delayed in the mail. God’s timing is impeccable.

The bigger growth opportunity is will we TRUST God’s timing? Will we submit to His sovereignty and believe that His plan is best? That is easy when it is time for the things we want God to send. That is more difficult when it is time for the things we don’t want God to send.

In the midst of his struggles, Job says: “Even if he (God) kills me, I will hope in him. I will still defend my ways before him” (Job 13:15). Job had decided in his heart to trust God no matter what. Why? Because Job knew that God’s timing is always right and His heart is always good. What faith!

It comes down to this…do I believe that God is sovereign over this universe (including my life) or not? If He is sovereign, do I trust that what He does is always the right thing to do and the right time to do it? If I say “yes” to both of those questions, then I can completely rest in the knowledge of God’s power to do and His goodness to get it right. That should be all I need to walk in the peace of knowing God is in control and the joy of knowing I belong to Him.

(Questions/Responses: jeff.perkins@mbclife.org)