Trust His Timing, by Tom Norvell

One of the features of my new mobile phone is a clock that allows me to
see the time in multiple time zones, set an alarm, use a stopwatch, and
time an event. When I take a walk, I usually set the timer for about
fifteen minutes short of the length of time I want to walk. That way, I
can decide the route for the last part of the walk. For instance, if I
plan to walk for an hour, I will set the time on my phone for 45
minutes. Invariably, I will check the timer a number of times before
the alarm sounds.

Is this thing working?

Did it sound and I did not hear it?

Has something malfunctioned?

Thus far, the alarm has never failed to work. I have never walked an
extra hour by accident. The device has never failed to perform as it is
designed to do. Yet, I still have a feeling of distrust in the clock.

The same thing happens as I walk through life, trying to live on God's
time-table.

I have read the instructions from His word about trusting Him. I am
listening to God, praying for His will to be done. I believe that He is
working even though I cannot see it. I know that the Father is in
charge. I know that nothing will happen that escapes His view. I know
that He cares for me. I know that the Lord has always dealt, and will
always deal, with me according to His justice and goodness. However,
there are still times when I have difficulty trusting His timing.

I have discovered three realities about trusting His timing.

I have learned that His timing is always right!

First, trusting His timing is sometimes hard. There are times when I
eagerly lay my cares down, but then I decide not to wait for God to
work and pick them back up again. There are other times when my
concerns must be ripped from my hands. My doubts and fears take over:
What if He does not listen? What if He hears the wrong thing? What if
He chooses to act in a way that I do not like? Or worse, what if He
chooses not to act at all? I have swallowed hard when He responded with
"No," and I have laid awake at night wrestling with His answers that
appear to be, "Not now."

Second, trusting His timing is sometimes easy. There are times when
waiting for God to work His plan is easy. Laying my concerns at the
feet of the Lord and leaving them there comes naturally. I have
experienced answered prayer soon after making the request. I receive
his "Yes" with joy and gratitude. I receive His "No" with patience and
trust.

Third, whether easy or difficult: I have learned over life and from His
word, that the Father's timing is always right.

Solomon said it this way:

He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set
eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has
done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV).

You may be in a waiting time. Waiting for the answer. Waiting for
direction. Waiting for peace. Waiting for hope. Waiting for healing.
Waiting for victory. Doubt and uncertainty may have set in. You may be
left with questions and fears.

Whatever is the focus of your wait, trust His timing ... it is always
right.

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

The Turning Point

When I first met Joe, he was a hard-drinking man. Some of his neighbours saw him as a trouble-maker. My initial efforts to help him were completely unsuccessful. He said he didn't want anything to do with Christ or Christians because he had seen too much hypocrisy in the church.

A short time after his wife's death, Joe surprised many people by coming to a church service. He received a cordial welcome and started to attend regularly. We put no pressure on Him to become a Christian but trusted the Holy Spirit to do His. About four weeks later, on a Monday morning, he rang our doorbell, came in , sat down, and said, "Pastor, the first time I met you I told you how rotten I thought everyone else was, but now I see how bad I am. Last night I got down on my knees and asked Jesus to save me."

Joe's life was transformed when he stopped making excuses and admitted his own sinfulness. That was also true of the wayward son in today's reading. When he hit bottom, he said, " I will arise and go to my father, and will say to Him, 'Father, I have sinned (Lk. 15:18)

The turning point for all of us comes when we acknowledge our need and accept God's offer of forgiveness.

Forgive me, Father, for my sins, the many wrongs that I have done; help me to turn from evil ways and follow Jesus Christ, Your Son

Father, I have sinned against heaven..., and am no longer worthy to be called your son Luke 15:21

"Look At Me"

It was one of those split-second exchanges between a 16-year-old girl and her father, but it spoke volumes. While he was out of town, she had broken her curfew and stayed out too late with her boyfriend. Now she had to talk to Dad about it. Embarrassed and afraid, she sat quietly looking down at her hands in her lap while the discussion went on. She apologized and they decided on a suitable discipline.

"Look at me," Dad said. She didn't want to, but she did. Instead of a hard look of displeasure, she saw tears and a look of deep love. She threw her arms around him, and they both knew that everything would be all right between them.

To keep everything right between us and our heavenly Father, we have to seek His face(Ps. 27:8). We may feel guilt, disappointment, anger or hurt towards God. But that is when we must respond to His invitation to look to Him especially if fellowship has been broken.

Our greatest concern should be the fear of loosing a close relationship with Him. Our greatest delight should be seeing His face in the Word and through the wonderful privilege of prayer. That way we will have the assurance that everything is all right between us.

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, ... then I will forgive their sin. 2 Chronicles 7:14