Timing & Trusting

Every time I leave home to go anywhere there’s always math involved. Do you know what I’m talking about? Chances are it’s involved in your preparations as well. In order to keep an appointment I find myself calculating so many different things. “Ok, it will take me  ___ minutes to get ready,  ___ minutes to drive there and  ___ minutes to park, walk in and get to where I’m supposed to be.” I usually think backward from the time I want to arrive and the puzzle of preparations and timing falls into place…most of the time.

As a married man with kids, however, I find that there are other lives that are under my roof and certain needs that might sidetrack my carefully crafted exit strategy. And if you have young kids like me, you never know if you’ll need to pull an object from the toilet, clean spilled juice or help with homework in the midst of your personal and masterfully-timed schedule.

All of this, and much more, sends us into a perpetual state of hurriedness. And being rushed does not lend itself to trust and peace very easily. Many times we end up serving our schedule more than serving God. Or we simply don’t see a sliver of time during the day to spend in focused, intentional time with Him. This can be detrimental to our spiritual lives. We must make God the God of our entire selves, which includes our time.

A.W. Tozer said:

God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which he must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves.  A.W. Tozer

He is in control. So we can simply quiet our spirits and relax. He’s got you and your schedule.

[25] Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, [26] and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”  John 11:25–26

I love what happens when Christ hears of His friend’s illness and is told it’s urgency. Lazarus was very sick and dying. Yet Jesus didn’t even check his watch. He makes no hurry to come to Lazarus when he hears of his condition. While others might have seen waning hope due to the plight of their loved one, Jesus saw an opportunity for his followers. John 11:14–15 records Jesus’ words, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.” 

When we feel like Jesus is hanging us out to dry, he is strengthening us. He was glad he wasn’t there when Lazarus’ death occurred so that “you may believe“. When our dreams have been dead for 4 days and all hope is lost, we wait on Jesus. Because when he arrives, the resurrection arrives. Life arrives. Hope arrives. He knows what we need and sometimes it’s to wait and trust. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”  Indeed, it takes courage and strength to wait when death is at the door. But when we wait on the God-Man who is the resurrection, our spirits should be at peace.

God has no deadlines he must meet. Christ is not bound by a schedule. He owns your time and appointments. It doesn’t matter what plans you make if you miss Jesus, who is the reason for any plan. Be still, quiet and patient. Because when he arrives he brings power, life and peace of heaven.