Years ago, I had been watching a junked 1955 and 1956 Thunderbird that were sitting in the weeds. The owner offered to sell them for $300, which then was very reasonable, yet still a lot for me in those days. When I finally was able to save enough money to buy them and went to purchase them, they were gone. The owner told me he had just sold them the previous week. I missed my dream of buying those classic cars all because of my bad timing! So many good and not so good things happen all because of timing.
“Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket” (Proverbs 25:11, NLT2). I’ve been saved from making a poor purchase because someone gave me advice just at the right time. Car accidents happen, or don’t happen, all because of timing. On July 13, Former President Trump was shot in his ear instead of his head all because he slightly turned his head at the right time. It obviously wasn’t his time to die. The Bible says, “…after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died…” (Acts 13:36, NLT2). I believe it was after Connie completed her God given assignment, she too died. “Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, GW).
In 1 Kings 17, God sent Elijah to hide by the creek Cherith that flowed into the Jordan River. There, God fed him by the ravens, and he drank water from the brook. But the stream dried up—remember God had sent him there! But God’s grace for that time and place lifted because God had another plan for him. He then told Elijah to go to Zarephath, which was north in what is now Lebanon. There, a widow was gathering wood to make her last meal, so it was time for His servant Elijah leave the dried-up creek and allow God to work a miracle through him for this poor woman. In Exodus, God used a pillar of fire and a cloud to move the Hebrews at the right time. Jesus had been working miracles, but when He went to Nazareth, God lifted His healing power given to Jesus so there, He could only do a few unimpressive deeds. My point, God gives His grace and lifts it because He has a time for everything. This is true for your life and mine. He is working when we can’t see, feel, or hear it. That also goes for our politics these days.
Can you take a moment and try to imagine what our trinitarian God may be doing throughout our world today? He is not just planning and setting up the props to be used at just the right time for one person. He is doing it for each person, animal, fowl, or all of nature. How absolutely awesome and mind blowing is that for you to even try to imagine? In that context, remember, Jesus said, “Dismiss all anxious care for your lives, inquiring what you are to eat, and for your bodies, what you are to put on” (Luke 12:22b, WEY). Paul wrote, “Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers, ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, TEV)
Try to imagine your life with less worry or anxiety and freedom to enjoy all the provisions you already have. Less stress would certainly allow you more time to follow Jesus’ command to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, ESV). The reality is, our ‘need’ to be logical, controlling or to know everything gets in our way of living the more abundant life Jesus promised. (John 10:10) The depth of this truth has been taking on new meaning to me since Connie graduated into His Heaven.