Yes, I know God's conception of time varies greatly from mine. Yes, I
know the verse that says with the Lord a thousand years is as a day.
Yes, I know God takes the long-term view of temporal events, and my view
is necessarily limited.
Sure, I know all that; I just don't like it very much.
|
|
As I've looked over my prayers in recent days, time plays a big role. I ask God to do something for me or for someone else. Once in a while I receive a wonderful sense of assurance that it's going to happen. Then what?
Right. The waiting starts. The waiting goes on ... and on.
When I pause to think about it, I'm right in line with the saints of old. Here are four examples.
First, when Abraham is seventy-five, God promises him a son. The man waits twenty-five years.
Second, Joseph receives dreams from God that assure him he's going to be the head man and his family will bow to him. From the time his big brothers throw him into a pit until the promise unfolds, something like twenty years transpires.
Third, Samuel secretly anoints David as the new king of Israel. The secrecy - or so it seems to me - implies haste. About forty years later, David finally receives his crown over Jerusalem. Then he waits another seven years until he becomes king of the entire nation.
Fourth, God tells Paul at his conversion that he will speak to kings. Nice wait for Paul. For three years he goes into the desert to get himself theologically straight. Then he waits another dozen years before he speaks to his first king.
Even knowing those examples, I've still begged, pleaded, and sometimes all but demanded that God do something now. However, it doesn't seem to have speeded up the divine time frame.
Source: Crosswalk.com
Cecil Murphey has written more than one hundred books on a variety of topics with an emphasis on Spiritual Growth, Christian Living, Caregiving, and Heaven. He enjoys preaching in churches and speaking and teaching at conferences around the world. To book Cec for your next event, please contact Twila Belk at 563-332-1622.
