December 31, 2009

God Knows Just the Right Time
by JODY SNEED on DECEMBER 30, 2009

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.
Galatians 4:4-5

In our lives, so many plans are prefaced with conditions: when things get back to normal; now’s not a good time; if I get a raise; we are so busy; I don’t feel right about it… it’s a wonder anything ever happens at all! Depending on our circumstances, making any number of decisions can be agonizing. How can we know when it is best to act and when to wait? When will we know the right time?
Was the timing right for Abraham to obey and leave Ur or for Moses to head to back to Egypt? How about a carpenter named Joseph going through with a marriage to his young bride? Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us, He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

In hindsight, these heroes of the faith made their choices at just the right time to fulfill a part of God’s plan. But at the time, unlike the writer of Ecclesiastes, “beautiful” may not have been their adjective of choice to describe their circumstances. Lacking any concrete evidence for the outcomes of their actions, they moved forward armed only with trust. In each case, their reward far outweighed any and all of their fears about the future!

Consider how salvation for all humanity was set into motion with the arrival of Christ at the right time. Jesus was born as a Jew under God’s law and yet was the only man who lived the law flawlessly. The Messiah’s sacrifice as the only perfect man was timed perfectly to redeem us as sinners under the law. Not only were we freed, we were adopted as heirs, sharing in Christ’s rich inheritance of all of God’s promises, provisions, and power.

With the weight of eternity in our hearts, having the faith to obey God can be a struggle. Trying to know which decision best follows His will can leave us paralyzed and indecisive. At these times, we easily forget God’s completely perfect record of faithfulness and love for us. Regardless of our circumstances, and our inability to see beyond them, we can always trust that God will always act at the right time!