At Just The Right Time
Dear Friends,
There are certain phrases in the Bible which draw my attention. They speak into the depths of my being, bringing encouragement, reassurance, comfort and hope. These are the words I want to focus on this morning: "at just the right time".
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Romans 5:6 (NLT)
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. Galatians 4:4 (NLT)
I used to consider myself a great time keeper - I was rarely late for appointments, preferring to actually be early rather than late. However, that was before I had children. When you have two children (not to mention one husband) and yourself to get ready it takes much longer than expected.
The Bible teaches us that God always moves and acts at just the right time. He is never late, never too early and neither does he only just make it by the skin of his teeth.
The Jewish people had been waiting a long time for their prophesied Messiah - hundreds of years. It must have felt at times that he was never going to come. There must have been times when they believed, surely now is the time for him to come. Yet God always knew when the proper time was for him to send his Son, to be born of a virgin. God cannot, and will not be hurried. His gift to us - Christ - came at just the right time, not too early and not late. He is Lord of time. Nothing thwarted God's plan for when he would act.
There are so many examples in the Bible of God acting at just the right time. They are there to give us encouragement and reassurance for today.
It's hard to wait on God for him to act. Sometimes he expects us to wait for what seems a long time. There are a few things that I'm waiting for God to bring to fulfilment. I confess I thought that they would happen more quickly. To me, the time has seemed right. But when it doesn't happen I can easily become impatient and frustrated. At times it's felt as though God will never act. I worry that if he doesn't act now, then the time will have passed, that it will just be too late. At times I've also lost heart and been tempted to give up.
Yet I know, deep down, that if God hasn't acted yet, then the time is not right, because God always, always, always answers at the right time.
How about you? Are you in a period of waiting for God to act? Perhaps you've been praying for years for a loved one to know him as their Saviour. Maybe you've been praying for a new job opportunity to open up. Or to be able to move home. Or for your rebellious teen. Or for something else. Will you take heart from God and the examples of how he always acts at just the right time. Will you trust him, who is unchanging, to do the same in your situation?
I know that I need examples from the Bible and verses such as those mentioned above, as a reminder that God does make things happen at just the right time. In fact, I need that reminder right now. The Christmas story helps me to focus on the truth that God does fulfil his word at the proper time. So, this Christmas season I'm going to write out one of these verses on card and place it where I will be able to look on it often. So that when I become discouraged or impatient or frustrated, God's truth will soothe my soul and will strengthen me and encourage me to keep trusting and waiting.
Whilst you and I wait and trust, God is working behind the scenes, and at just the right time, at the proper time, in due time, in the fullness of time, we will see God's answer.
To Think About:
What are you waiting for?
What encourages you in your time of waiting?
Spend some time over advent thanking God for the gift of Jesus, who he sent to earth, at just the right time.
Vicki
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| At Just The Right Time |
There are certain phrases in the Bible which draw my attention. They speak into the depths of my being, bringing encouragement, reassurance, comfort and hope. These are the words I want to focus on this morning: "at just the right time".
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Romans 5:6 (NLT)
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. Galatians 4:4 (NLT)
I used to consider myself a great time keeper - I was rarely late for appointments, preferring to actually be early rather than late. However, that was before I had children. When you have two children (not to mention one husband) and yourself to get ready it takes much longer than expected.
The Bible teaches us that God always moves and acts at just the right time. He is never late, never too early and neither does he only just make it by the skin of his teeth.
The Jewish people had been waiting a long time for their prophesied Messiah - hundreds of years. It must have felt at times that he was never going to come. There must have been times when they believed, surely now is the time for him to come. Yet God always knew when the proper time was for him to send his Son, to be born of a virgin. God cannot, and will not be hurried. His gift to us - Christ - came at just the right time, not too early and not late. He is Lord of time. Nothing thwarted God's plan for when he would act.
There are so many examples in the Bible of God acting at just the right time. They are there to give us encouragement and reassurance for today.
It's hard to wait on God for him to act. Sometimes he expects us to wait for what seems a long time. There are a few things that I'm waiting for God to bring to fulfilment. I confess I thought that they would happen more quickly. To me, the time has seemed right. But when it doesn't happen I can easily become impatient and frustrated. At times it's felt as though God will never act. I worry that if he doesn't act now, then the time will have passed, that it will just be too late. At times I've also lost heart and been tempted to give up.
Yet I know, deep down, that if God hasn't acted yet, then the time is not right, because God always, always, always answers at the right time.
How about you? Are you in a period of waiting for God to act? Perhaps you've been praying for years for a loved one to know him as their Saviour. Maybe you've been praying for a new job opportunity to open up. Or to be able to move home. Or for your rebellious teen. Or for something else. Will you take heart from God and the examples of how he always acts at just the right time. Will you trust him, who is unchanging, to do the same in your situation?
I know that I need examples from the Bible and verses such as those mentioned above, as a reminder that God does make things happen at just the right time. In fact, I need that reminder right now. The Christmas story helps me to focus on the truth that God does fulfil his word at the proper time. So, this Christmas season I'm going to write out one of these verses on card and place it where I will be able to look on it often. So that when I become discouraged or impatient or frustrated, God's truth will soothe my soul and will strengthen me and encourage me to keep trusting and waiting.
Whilst you and I wait and trust, God is working behind the scenes, and at just the right time, at the proper time, in due time, in the fullness of time, we will see God's answer.
To Think About:
What are you waiting for?
What encourages you in your time of waiting?
Spend some time over advent thanking God for the gift of Jesus, who he sent to earth, at just the right time.
Vicki
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