GOD'S TIMING ON HIS PROMISES...

Episode 1: His name was Abram. God had renamed him Abraham because he was to become the father of MANY nations. But that was 10 years ago! Abraham was getting weary. He had waited and waited, and he didn’t even have one child yet. Had God forgotten? Had Abram sinned, thereby blocking the arm of God in his life? Maybe he did, when he slept with his maid - we are not told whether God held it against him, but what we are told is that at the time that God had ordained, Abraham had the long awaited son. Gen. 18:14 says “I will return at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” What is the key word here? It is ‘appointed time’. It was the time that God had appointed! Gen 21:2 also says, “Sarah became pregnant ... at the very time God had promised!” The birth of Isaac was right on time! What was the point of the 25 year wait, then? It was just for God’s glory to be shown. It was just for the world to see that there was no limit to God’s power. Even a post-menopausal 90 year old lady could have a child by a centenarian! That’s just how God is. Episode 2: Job was suffering, and he had no idea why. Unknown to him, he was God’s showpiece to the devil because he had been faithful. His friends came to visit him, and soon he was being accused of sinning against God. For years, seven, some say, he suffered. When God finally came to give His verdict, his friends were the ones who were found to be in the wrong, and Job was asked to pray for them. God healed him and restored him to a new and greater lease of life.

Friends, sin can and will delay or rob us completely of our blessings. However, we should not be quick to go and accuse people going through lengthy trials of being sinful, thereby compounding their grief. And if you are going through a painful trial yourself, please be encouraged. God is never late, He is always on time. Maybe He wants you to learn something, or He just wants a closer relationship with you. Just be faithful and wait for Him. At the APPOINTED time, the release will come!  

Part 2... What to do while you’re waiting

Ok, so you’re going through a severe time of testing. Everyone, including God seems to have abandoned you. Wilderness experiences are definitely not fun. However, wilderness experiences are a part of life. Everyone goes through wilderness experiences, some are short, some unexplainably long. What should your attitude be as you go through? One of my favourite quotes of Joyce Meyer’s is, ‘Complain and remain, praise and be raised’! An attitude of gratitude is definitely something to be coveted. Find things to be grateful for everyday, otherwise it becomes very easy to slip into depression. Praise God all the time, just because He is God!

When Job was questioned by God, Job insisted that he had not sinned. True, he had not sinned prior to his ordeal, but I find his position during the ordeal bordering even on arrogance (Job 23). God did address this, and he had to repent. Look at Job 38:1-5; 40:1-14 and 42:1-6. I wouldn’t recommend anyone to copy this behaviour. Your first step should be to ask God to forgive you of any sin you may have committed and let Him lead you out of it. If you cannot see anything wrong that you have done, ask God to show you. After all, there is no human who does not sin. Repent and let there be a complete turn-around from whatever it is. This is not to say you are going through this trial because you have sinned, but just to cleanse your heart from sin. Let the Word of God be your food at this time. Learn all you can from God’s Word. Nourish your soul as fat as you can during this time. Then just sit back and trust God completely. At the appointed time, the breakthrough will come. Isaiah 60:1 will then be true of you.: Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you!

God is TOO kind to be mistaken; God is TOO good to be unkind. So  if you don’t understand, if you can’t see his plan, if you can’t see  His hand, trust His heart! (Words of a song by Babbie Mason)