At Just the Right Time
It’s always easier seeing the hand of God when we look back over our lives than it is looking forward. Looking forward into the future, we see uncertainty and the unknown, having to walk by faith that God is going to meet us in all that’s ahead of us.
But as we look back, into what has already happened, we can clearly see God’s work in our lives and often, we had no idea that He was working on our behalf. Looking back doesn’t take much faith, but looking forward absolutely does.How is it that even though we know that God is with us, that He does work “all things together for our good” (Romans 8:28), that His faithfulness in our lives far exceeds our faithfulness to Him. That we still wrestle with worry, doubt, and unbelief for the days ahead of us?Because looking back we have a much clearer perspective than looking forward. Looking back over the faithfulness of God in our lives is so clear to see. But looking forward into the unknown, our perspective can be clouded and blurry with so much uncertainty as to how things will eventually turn out.There’s a verse in Romans that brings great comfort and assurance to us as we look forward into the unknown: in verse 6, God’s Word tells us, “…at JUST THE RIGHT TIME, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME: God sent His Son, to die for us. For you and for me. For a world that was lost and broken. AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME.God could have sent Jesus to this world, 2000 years earlier, or 2000 years later. But He didn’t. God knew when it was JUST THE RIGHT TIME for Jesus to come to this world, to walk and live among humanity, to die an unspeakable death, and to raise from the dead… AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME.If God knew precisely when it was the EXACT time to send Jesus to die for our sins, don’t you think He knows EXACTLY when it’s time to answer that prayer you’ve been praying? Or to intervene in a circumstance that you don’t know what else to do with? Or to touch the heart of that person you have reached out to and prayed for so long? Or to send someone to encourage you when you feel like you are at the end of your rope? Or to pour out His grace and forgiveness right when you need it most?If you were really honest with yourself, as you look back over your life, there are a lot of “at just the right time” moments that you never even recognized at the time, but looking back you can see it clearly. God has never been, nor will He ever be, too early or too late. He will show up in your life at JUST THE RIGHT TIME.
Isaiah 55:9 tells us that God’s “ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than ours”.
He knows, not only what you have already walked through, but what you are going to walk through going forward and knows AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME when He will work and move on your behalf! God’s vantage point in our lives is not the vantage point we see. He sees the beginning and the end and every step in between. We can only see the here and now. And that’s exactly why we need faith. To walk forward into the unknown, with great faith that God is with us and, when it is time for Him to intervene, He will do so AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME.Acts 17: 26 says that God “has determined the times set for mankind and the EXACT places where they should live.” God knew before the creation of the world the EXACT time when you would be alive and the EXACT places you would live. How unbelievable is that?! How comforting to know that your Heavenly Father has been at work in your life far before you even realized He was working?So, my sweet friend, take a deep breath and rest in the fact that God has your entire life (and the lives of your loved ones) in the palm of His hand. He is working even now AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, to bring GOOD out of whatever you may be walking through. He sees your beginning and your end, and everywhere in between. He will never leave you or forsake you. He is with you every step of the way. You need only to recognize His presence with you and to acknowledge your dependence on Him. HE. IS. WITH. YOU!What do you need to surrender to Him today? What areas in your life do you need to give up control? What people do you need to lay at His feet saying, “I trust you, God, to work in their lives”? What prayers do you need to pray with great faith, trusting that God will bring the answer AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME?If God knew EXACTLY when Jesus needed to walk the earth and die for us, He most certainly knows the EXACT time when your prayers need to be answered, when your circumstances need to change, when your healing needs to come, when your miracle needs to happen and when His promises to you need to become a reality.AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME.