God's timetable

At one time or another, most of us have questions about God's timing. It
seems that we wait and wait, and sometimes wait some more and wonder what
God has in mind for our lives, if anything at all.

We ask questions like, "When will I find a job?" or "When will my children
return to the Lord?" or "Why doesn't my spouse believe like I do?" or
"Doesn't God have someone out there for me to marry and if he does, why is
he taking so long to bring us together?" Maybe you are just asking, "How can
God allow this situation (whatever it may be) to go on?"

We wait and ask questions and wonder when, if ever, God will give an answer.
You probably already know that God's timing is almost never out timing,
however notice what David had to say about it in Psalms 27:14. David wrote,
"Wait for the Lord, be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait
for the Lord!" How does this verse apply to you situation and how long you
have been waiting for an answer? Think about David's background.

In the book of 1st. Samuel we see that King Saul was rejected as king over
Israel because of his disobedience to God. In chapter 16 Samuel is told to
go to Bethlehem, to the home of Jesse and there he will anoint one of
Jesse's sons as the new king over Israel. David though "just a youth" is
anointed king, but it was more than 20 years before he sat on the throne.
For 20 years that promise hung over David's head as he waited for it to be
fulfilled. For 20 years it stood between him and relationships with King
Saul. For most of that 20 years Saul hunted for David, trying to kill him.
For part of that 20 years David actually had to flee the country and live in
another country for safety, even though he was anointed King over Israel by
God's prophet, at God's command.

So when David wrote, "Wait for the Lord, be strong, and let your heart take
courage; yes, wait for the Lord!" he knew what it was to wait for the Lord
to answer and act in his life. I like the way one modern paraphrase puts
this verse, "Stay with GOD! Take heart. Don't quit. I'll say it again: Stay
with God!" (MSG)

So, how long have you been waiting, 20 years? Has the king (or president) of
your country had his army out hunting you, trying to kill you? Probably not,
if you are like most of us, your problems and your questions are more in the
nature of what is happening to you in some physical way dealing with family,
jobs, houses and health. David councils, "Wait for the Lord". Or "Stay with
the Lord, Don't quit". That's my council also.

Notice one final scripture from the Apostle Paul, "We can rejoice, too, when
we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us, they
help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in
us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.

Russ Lawson