Acts 24
Can you imagine Paul, the world-traveler,
the missionary who was always on the go, the man who rarely stayed anywhere for
long, sitting in prison for two years?
How frustrated do you think he must have been? How annoyed was he that Felix was hoping for
a bribe? How much did he chafe at being
stuck in an unjust situation? The text
doesn’t say, although it does say elsewhere that he had learned to be content
in all sorts of situations because of God’s grace (Philippians
4:10-14).
Every once in a while someone will quote
the axiom, “God’s timing is always perfect.”
It’s a sanctified-sounding way of saying to be patient. But what do you do when God’s timing is
nowhere near your schedule? How do you
feel when you feel you’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting and God seems
more than content with where the situation is?
While the reminder of patience is good
for us, it is not always comforting. I
sometimes resonate with the psalmist, “Hey God, how long do I have to
wait? Have you forgotten me?” (Psalm
13)
An axiom that I use sometimes is, “God’s
timing is God’s timing.” For me it feels
more honest to throw up my hands and say, “I don’t get it. I don’t like it. But I’m going to sit here and trust You God.” We cling to God’s promise in Jeremiah
29:11: He has a plan. It is good.
It is rooted in His love and grace.
Don’t believe me? Look to the
cross. How long did God wait to keep the
promise He made to Adam and Eve?
Paul is an example of this too. Jesus promised in Acts
23:11 that Paul would testify about Him in Rome. It would happen. But the rolling stone would gather moss for a
while before he took that trip. He would
evangelize the governor, his wife, the guards, servants, and anyone else he
could in the palace, and he would write letters to his friends in the churches
he planted, but he wasn’t going to go anywhere for a while.
What is God preparing for you? Where is He setting the stage to give you the
opportunity to share His love? I don’t
know, but as a forgiven follower of Christ you will be ready when God’s time
comes.
Father, help me be patient. When I am not, let me remember that You keep Your
promises, especially giving Your Son to die for me. Amen.
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