Tick tock, tick tock…..God’s clock is ticking. You cannot “hurry” God. God is not in time. Time is in God. We live in a quick-fix society where we have grown to appreciate that in this day and age, many things can be fixed fairly quickly, some instantly. We have learnt (sometimes the hard way), through experience, that God’s ways and thoughts are not ours, (Isaiah 55:8-9)…..but so much higher, and certainly better for our well-being. He operates in a much higher realm, the kingdom of God. When God puts us in His “waiting room”, it is the season for learning kingdom principles and drawing closer to Him to learn and reverence His ways. It is not a season of discouragement, but growth in Him. His clock has not stopped!
We read in scripture the following phrases: “at the set time”, “at the appointed time”, “in due time”. It was said of Esther in the record of her life, (Esther 4:14), “……..who knows whether you are come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” The Psalmist, speaking of Joseph, wrote that “Joseph’s feet were held in irons, till the time of “His Word” came”, (Psalm 105: 17-22).
Timing is important. We may think we are waiting for God, when in reality, it is God waiting for us to move in the responsibility of choice. This is another aspect of God’s timing. We have often quoted: What is it, in sovereignty, that only God can do because I cannot? What is it, in human responsibility, that I must do because God won’t? This is the place where God’s sovereignty gloves human responsibility. I use my free will, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to make a right choice, then the Holy Spirit comes along side of my choice, and enables me with His power, to function to the glory of God. This is the mystery Paul spoke of, “Christ in me, the hope of glory”.
1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time”. There is that phrase again, “in due time”. Ecclesiastes 3:1 declares “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven”.
When I walk in humility God will exalt me in His due time. If I exalt myself, that is pride and God resists the proud. He hates it! (1 Peter 5:5). The Holy Spirit “sniffs” it out and pin-points it in our lives. Here is the place we must humble and repent, in order to be rid of this abominable trait that causes my loving Heavenly Father to resist me.
Where is the place in my life that my Father requires me to bow, in humility, that I have resisted? Is it a place I have not seen in innocence? Is it a place I have seen and rebelled against in disobedience? Is it a place I have ignored in ignorance? It is usually a place in my fleshly comfort zone I have resisted, but why stay wandering in the wilderness when God has provided the fullness of the Promised Land. What fool rejects his birthright?
Have my lips told the Lord in my prayer closet that I desire to please Him? Romans 8: 6-8 convicts us when we operate, in reality, in the fleshly comfort zone, the carnal nature. “The carnal mind is enmity against God……they that are in the flesh cannot please God….” The remainder of the chapter encourages us to walk in the Spirit of Christ Jesus and be God-pleasers. Choice again.
There is a place that is unique to each one of us, that God chooses, where He requires us to bow, surrender and humble to Him. In Deuteronomy 16 there are 6 references to the phrase ” ….in the place the Lord thy God shall choose” to place His name there. So it is in our lives. His divine finger points to the place where we resist Him or where He requires change. He only desires it for our good and for us to go higher and deeper with Him. Why would I hang on the right to myself when He is offering the fullness of His Son, the Promised Land, my birthright?
Humbling is not a virtue but an obligation for kingdom children. To walk in humility solves all our problems in order to enter into His fullness. It is an ongoing life principle. May it become our lifestyle for us to develop sensitivity to His Presence. Here we find everything we will ever need. God gets all the glory and we experience all the benefits of kingdom life in Christ Jesus!
Tick tock! Time to get in timing with God!
