Perfect Timing

  By: Lauren Thomas 

God has an uncanny sense of timing. Uncanny means strange, mysterious, or unsettling. Strange, because His timing is rarely – if ever – in line with my illusion of a planned timeline. Mysterious, because I can’t predict or understand it. Unsettling, because His timing is often unpleasant and frustrating for me. 

 

But it is always absolutely perfect. 

In John 2:4, when Mary told Jesus that the wine had run out at a wedding in Cana, Jesus’s response was, “my hour has not yet come.” And yet, this was the timing he chose to perform his first “sign,”, which led to the belief of his disciples. And it showed that Jesus cared about something as minor as a party among friends!

 

Later in the same gospel, Jesus was told that his dear friend Lazarus was sick. Jesus delayed his visit, with intention. When he finally made it to his friend’s home, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Poor timing, according to Lazarus’s family, who were filled with anger, blame, confusion, crushing grief. Perfect timing for a miracle that would demonstrate Jesus’s power over death. 

 

After the triumphal entry, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt, he said, “the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (John 13:23 ESV, emphasis mine).

 

And in the next few days, Jesus was crucified. 

 

How can someone be glorified when they are dead? The disciples couldn’t understand Jesus’s timing. For all they knew all their hopes and dreams had literally died. Up to this point in John’s narrative, conflict had been mounting. The tension was heavy. Many followers saw the days before Jesus’ crucifixion as the perfect timing for Jesus to arrive in power and majesty, with myriad of angels, to take from the current political regime and establish his own Kingdom. How did dying fit into that plan? 

 

Yet, as Jesus said, it was the hour to be glorified. Death wasn’t the end of the story. Three days later, Jesus was glorified: He was resurrected to an incorruptible life.

 

⁴ But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4-5 ESV

 

It may be strange, mysterious, or unsettling, but God’s timing is absolutely perfect. That is good news (gospel) for us! Thank God for His perfect timing that has allowed me and you to be adopted as chosen daughters. 

 

What do we do when we struggle to trust God’s timing? How do we respond when it feels like all our hopes and dreams are dying as we wait for God to show up, to act?

 

Though we may be tempted to take matters into our own hands to manipulate God’s timing, let us choose to wait patiently. Let us choose to wait in trust that He is God, that He knows all things, that He is all powerful, and that he is concerned about us. If you struggle to believe that, remind yourself that it was God’s perfect timing that led to your spiritual adoption as His daughter. Let’s wait well by trusting deeply that His timing is perfect!

 

Reflection:

Where in your life is God’s timing causing tension for you?

When we doubt God’s timing, it is sometimes indicative of deeper doubt. What deeper doubts might be involved in your mistrust of His timing?

What can you do today to affirm your trust in God’s timing?