At The Right Time

Luke 3:23

23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age

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Rom 5:6-7

6 While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

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2 Peter 3:9-10

9 The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up.

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There is a story about Mick Jaguar of the Rolling Stones. Apparently, he failed to arrive at a scheduled concert until an hour after his was expected. One of the organizers yelled about him complaining that he was late. Jaguar says, “I can’t be late for one of my concerts because the concert can’t begin without me.” I’m sure Mick’s reasoning, as sound as it was, proved little comfort to his anxious fans and worried concert promoters.

We are only late when we fail to arrive at a time we were expected. If you invite me to your home with “why don’t drop by tomorrow evening,” what time do you have in mind? Perhaps seven o’clock? When does “evening” begin and when is it over? If I come at eleven o’clock would have arrived later than you expected?

Jesus was not born too late or too early. Jesus did not begin his public ministry too late or too early. Jesus died “at the right time.” Jesus will end this created order and create a new order (universe) precisely at the right time.

If God fails to act according to our expected time table, it is we who are wrong. God cannot be late. Are you prepared to adjust your expectations to God’s timing? Are you ready, today, to “wait on the Lord?”

God engineers our circumstances as he did those of his Son; all we have to do is to follow where he places us. The majority of us are busy trying to place ourselves. God alters things while we wait for him.

Oswald Chambers (1874–1917)

“Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by.” Life is like that; one stitch at a time taken patiently, and the pattern will come out all right like embroidery.

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809–1894)

All comes at the proper time to him who knows how to wait.

Saint Vincent de Paul (1581–1660)

Don’t jump to conclusions too quickly; many things lie unsolved, and the biggest test of all is that God looks as if he were totally indifferent.

Oswald Chambers (1874–1917)

Never think that God’s delays are God’s denials. Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius.

Comte Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon (1707–1788)

Teach us, O Lord, the disciplines of patience, for to wait is often harder than to work.

Peter Marshall (1902–1949)