God's Timing

Larry Mancini

 

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Galatians 6:9

 

God's anger had risen up against Israel. The people had ignored the word of the Lord and were worshipping the gods of Baal. God chose Jeremiah to be His spokesman, saying to him, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:4, 5) Jeremiah obeyed. And for the first eleven chapters of his prophecy he dutifully prophesied the words the Lord gave him, without complaint. But the prophet became dismayed. He said, "I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper?" (12:1). Later he asked, "Think of how I suffer reproach for your sake...Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable?" (15:15, 18).

 

In Chapter 18 God answered. He instructed the prophet to go down to the potter's house and observe the potter as he worked at his wheel. There was a lesson for the prophet to see. Jeremiah felt that the time was right for God to act. But God seemed to be saying to him, "Not quite yet. There is something more I want you to do first. Learn the lesson from the potter." God reminded Jeremiah that the nation's future was in His hand, not in their own. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel" (18:6). Both the message and the timing of it were God's to decide.

 

Yesterday I was at a master gardener's house--an elderly gentleman who grows plants and flowers for the local nurseries. He was showing me his marigolds, and I noticed that all the buds that showed evidence of early growth had been pruned. He then explained that he doesn't let them bloom too early. The early clippings of what would be blossoms strengthens the plant and makes it much larger than it would have been had he let it bloom at its own timing. Timely pruning also prolongs the plant's life into the fall.

 

Today you may be looking at efforts where you have sown seeds, and nothing seems to be happening--promises without production. Don't become discouraged over the lack of fruit in your life's efforts. It could be that the Lord is preparing you for some wonderful surprises from the Master Gardener. He is strengthening your root system. Your work will bud and bloom in God's timing, and the end result will be outstanding. The proper time is coming. Just don't give up!

 

Lord, you tell me to wait for you and that is what I want to do. I have never been sorry when I have been patient in the past. Today I want to do just that. Like the old chorus goes, "Teach me Lord--Teach me Lord to wait." Someday I believe I will look back and be thankful that you did things in my life perfectly. In the Name of the Master Gardener I pray. Amen.

 

This week's contributor to Friday Evening is Larry Mancini, a veteran pastor from Long Island, New York.