June 15, 2021- Reflections – “In His Time!”

In His time, in His time, He makes all things beautiful
In His time, Lord, please show me every day,
As you’re teaching me your way, That you do just what you say, In Your time, In Your time, in Your time
You make all things beautiful, In Your time.      Maranatha Music

Last week I watched my petunia plant with a bud and wondered why it didn’t bloom yet. Suddenly, I sang the lyrics above. And then I remembered the verse from Isaiah 55:8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Psalm 25:4-5.

         God created the flowers to teach us, He created the world to remind us; He loves us like no One else could ever love. As I watch the process of the beginning growth from a tiny seed, and wait for the first leaf, and then the first bud, and then the fullness of the bloom, is exactly how our lives are. When the petals fell from the peony blossoms, I almost cried. But then I rejoiced, remembering the beauty of the blossoms that reminded me of how God created our world. Then I praised Him.

We dislike detours, and we dislike waiting in lines, looking for the shortest line. We want what we want instantaneously. Can you see a farmer planting wheat seed one day, and checking the next day to see if the wheat had ripened yet? Every invention has a thought process with trial and error and patented before it can be used. Even baking a cake is a process of purchasing the ingredients, measuring, stirring together, and don’t forget to bake it!

Every time I read the first chapter of Genesis; I am in awe of God. Not once but in six days He created the heavens and earth. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Each created part of heaven and earth was spoken. And it was so.

Noah was six hundred years old when the flood came on the earth after following the instructions to build an ark to specific instructions. God told him to go into the ark with his family and animals. The Lord shut Noah and family in. He waited seven days for the rain to begin. That would last forty days and forty nights. The flood continued for forty days. The waters stayed on the earth for 150 days. And then another forty days before he could think about coming out, and then he waited another seven days.  Now that is the ultimate in waiting. When you consider three days of rain is our limit for waiting.

Moses had his share of waiting on the Lord as well. God asked Moses to climb up Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments.

Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Exodus 24:15-18.

God’s Time is not our Time. God provides plenty for us to do here on earth. Amazing how God provides things for us to do on earth. There are no idle hands for those who serve God. In the next few chapters of Exodus, God gave specific instructions for the making the Ark of the Covenant and a place to worship. How great is our Lord! He helps us to be productive.

         I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also, that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man. Ecclesiastes 3:10-13.

         The longing in our hearts for something more is not for things of the world but for eternity.  Just as we hunger and thirst for food and water, we also hunger and thirst for righteousness for our soul. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6.

Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your might among the peoples. Psalm 77:13-14. What way have you chosen to follow? God’s Way leads us to eternity and Joy and Peace.

In His Time, God sent His son Jesus to come to earth to save us and bring us to our Eternal Home with our Lord God. What happens in our lives with Jesus? Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:2-3.

How much does grace cost us? The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Revelation 22:17. There is no cost, but simply believe. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13.

Even Jesus waited another two days when learning his friend was sick and dying before coming to see his friend. Why? Sometimes we don’t know why we wait, but God always has a reason that we would not think of. When Jesus tells the reason, we understand how we can serve by waiting as well. But when Jesus heard it, He said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” John 11:4.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:20-25.