At
Just The Right Time
9/7/03
The Lord’s timing is perfect!
A real test of our trust is trusting the timing of the Lord.
There is a right time for everything.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Letters and Papers from Prison.
Everything has its time, and the main thing is
that we keep step with God, and do not keep pressing on a few steps ahead--nor
keep dawdling a step behind. It's presumptuous to want to have everything at
once. Everything has its time.
Timing is not something left to chance!
Jesus is Lord of the timing of all things. The universe operates in perfect
timing--and there is perfect timing in the affairs of our lives!
These words are recorded as follows:
proper time - used 11 times in the NIV
appointed time - used 23 times in the NIV
the right time - used 14 times in the New Living
Translation
due season - used 10 times in the King James Bible
due time - used 5 times in the King James Bible
Ps.27:13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for
the LORD.
Ann Kiemel Anderson wrote the following:
"Frankly, I thought God would instantly and easily give me children
because I had waited so long for the right man. At thirty-five, I figured there
was not much time left for motherhood. Again, however, God wanted me to learn
more about this significant issue of life: giving God time.
When a beautiful birth mother flew into Idaho Falls for us to be with her in
labor and delivery, and handed us our firstborn son, I wept. All the losses and
waiting became so important because they brought us Taylor, and now we could
not imagine life without him.
When Taylor was eight months old, I became pregnant with twins. We could not
love a child of our own flesh and blood more than Taylor, but he was going to
have siblings. We were ecstatic.
On a frozen, dreary night, with Will out of town on business, I miscarried
the twins. Will flew home the next day to remind me, “Ann, Jesus never takes
away except to give back something better. Give Him time.”
Yes, written across my forehead and my heart, and tested by years of
perseverance and determination, is the greatest lesson I have ever learned. .
.and the hardest:
Give Jesus time."
Failing to trust for God’s timing produces
weariness and frustration!
Gal. 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.
A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful
nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the
Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not
become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we
will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have
opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to
the family of believers.
Phil. 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say
it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord
is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Impatience - annoyance at waiting: irritation
at having to wait or at somebody or something that causes a wait
1 Pet. 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under
God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
God is sovereign over the timing of events.
Ps. 75:1 We give thanks to you, O God, we give
thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.
2 You say, “I choose the
appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly.
3 When the earth and all its people
quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.
Dan. 8:19 He said: “I am going to tell you what
will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed
time of the end.
Dan. 11:27 The two kings, with their hearts bent
on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail,
because an end will still come at the appointed time.
Dan. 11:29 “At the appointed time he
will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from
what it was before.
Dan. 11:35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that
they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for
it will still come at the appointed time.
Mat. 8:29 “What do you want with us, Son of God?”
they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
Right timing applies to so many things.
A small word spoken at the right time may set a
person’s whole life straight.
Pr. 15:23 (NLT) Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it
is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!
Someone has so rightly said, “Initiative is doing the right thing at the
right time without having to be told.”
When was the last time you became frustrated because things didn’t work out
according to your time table?
On the other hand, when was the last time you witnessed the power of God in
His perfect timing?
Just recently Sue and I witnessed this with her
Dad.
Not waiting on God’s timing can cause many
problems.
Impatience has caused tremendous grief for so many people.
Taking things into our own hands without waiting on the Lord leaves us with
the consequences!
What happened when Abram and Sarai took things into their own hands when God
had promised them a son? Read Gen. 12 and following chapters.
Saul’s impatience cost him the kingdom!
1 Sam. 10:8 “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will
surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings,
but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to
do.”
Now read 1Sam. 13:5-14.
Today is the right time to give your life to
Jesus Christ if you hear Him speaking to your heart!
Ro. 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still
powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
2 Cor. 6:1As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in
vain. 2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in
the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Is. 30:18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious
to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed
are all who wait for him!