by Roy Lessin
The plan of God, the will of God, the purposes of God, and the answers of God don’t come to us all at once, even though they are all in His heart for us now. The mindset of the world might be “I want it, and I want it now” but the mindset of the world is not the mindset of the kingdom of God.
It is important for us to place everything that concerns us into His hands, and leave them there… it is here, in His hands, that all things are in safe keeping.
It is good for us to remember the truth that is stated in the worship chorus In His Time by the Maranatha Singers:
IN HIS TIME, IN HIS TIME
HE MAKES ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL IN HIS TIME
LORD, PLEASE SHOW ME EVERYDAY
AS YOU’RE TEACHING ME YOUR WAY
THAT YOU’LL DO JUST WHAT YOU SAY
IN YOUR TIME.
IN YOUR TIME, IN YOUR TIME
YOU MAKE ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL IN YOUR TIME
LORD, MY LIFE TO YOU I BRING
MAY EACH SONG I HAVE TO SING
BE TO YOU A LOVELY THING
IN YOUR TIME
Why does God say “No”? Because of our shortsightedness and His omniscience. He sees “the distant scene” and He knows how the next step should be taken that the “distant scene” may be made clear to us.
What we mistake for God’s denials are often God’s wise and providential delays, which are not denials at all. Many an individual thanks God that he did not have his way, that things were taken from him, that difficulties were put in his way to block his advance in order that the might have the delight of overcoming, or the delight of awaiting God’s time.
He sees the perils that are in our path that we cannot see. He speaks to us in mercy and grace and He builds us up to meet the dangers and be prepared to receive the things we could not wisely use today. There are many things which we can employ tomorrow that we cannot wisely use today.
–A.A. Conrad
When I cannot understand my Father’s leading,
And it seems to be but hard and cruel fate,
Still I hear that gentle whisper ever pleading,
God is working, God is faithful—Only wait.
–A.B. Simpson
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:3
You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2013/09/28/rl_waiting/