Let's NOT mess with The Timetable

It would be the understatement of the century if I say "mysterious are the ways of God". The joke is always on us when  we even begin to think that we have an understanding on how God fulfills His promises in our lives. God has a plan of action in place for everybody who trusts in Him, it might not be what we are hoping it to be, but there is definitely a plan. Since the plan is a mystery, the timing of it becomes even more mysterious. It always seems like God is not in a hurry and that the time is running out on us, and often, we ruin God's perfect plans with our impatience. 

There couldn't be a better example than Abraham to clarify this thought. God had promised him a son, but, from a human perspective, time was running out. With both Abraham and Sarah closing in on the century mark, most people would have said that time had already run out. Just like any one of us, they too felt that they are out of time and wanted to help God to come through on His promises. It was acceptable for a barren woman to give her maid as a substitute to bear children for her in those times, so Sarah suggested Abraham take Hagar and let her bear his child. In his hurry, Abraham ran ahead of God's plan and the consequences are still felt in the Middle East today. The Arab nations (descended from Ishmael, the son of Hagar, the maid servant) and Israel (descended from Abraham's legitimate heir, Isaac) continue to be bitter enemies.

The two articles I posted this week, one about Dr. Crandall and also about the man and the nun vividly depicts the timeliness in God's actions. Now I know Dr. Crandall is a true story, I am not so sure about the other one because I was distracted and didn't hear the first part of the story when it was told by a priest during his sermon. Truth or fiction, together they show the contrast in the way and time God chooses to act. Dr. Crandall, it says, is a man of faith, he gave himself to God at the age of 19, spent majority of his time off from work to spread the Word. He really wanted God to give him his son back, he knew it was possible for God. But God waited two years to answer his prayers, and not the way the good doctor ever expected it to be. On the other hand, the man in the other story struggled with his faith, but God came through for him also in what looks like at the right time. God not only has a plan for everyone, he also has chosen a time to implement it, He only expects us to hold on to however little faith we have in Him and wait patiently for His time to come. Just as the apostle Paul reminded Christians that in "the fullness of time" God sent His Son (Gal. 4:4) and "in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6), so God has a schedule for everything in our lives as well. We certainly don't want to lag behind God's plan, but it's equally disastrous to run ahead of it.

 
As you seek God's will for your life, seek His timetable as well. Don't let your impatience carry you ahead of God. Doing the right thing at the wrong time makes the right thing the wrong thing.