God, the Ultimate Life Planner
Most likely, you live life day to day based on a schedule. Maybe you wear an actual watch, maybe you don’t, but either way, TIME keeps us regulated and organized. You wake up at a certain time, you have to clock into work by a certain time, you have a certain number of minutes for your lunch break, you have to pick up your kids and take them places by certain times, you eat meals at certain times, you show up for appointments at certain times, you determine a certain time to meet with friends for social occasions, and when all is said and done, you might try to get to bed by a certain time so you can start the process all over again the next day. One might argue that we are literally controlled by the clock!
As far as the bigger picture of our lives goes, it’s easy and natural to be controlled by timing in that sense, too. You might be hoping to have your first child by a certain time, hoping to be married and settled down by a certain time, hoping to reach a certain job status by a certain time, hoping to buy your dream house by a certain time, hoping to have X amount of money saved by a certain time, be out of debt by a certain time, and the list goes on and on.
Whether talking about daily timing or life timing, we love to be in control of when things happen. …or attempt to be, at least. For me, this is one of the biggest areas of difficulty when it comes to letting go and trusting God, whose timing, of course, is perfect. I think I know best for my life! I am me, after all. Who could know better what timing would be most ideal for my day, week, month, year, decade, life? Well, God knows better. And not only does He know better, but He knows best—always. He knows every little thing about every little part of me, and He always knows the right time for anything to happen/develop in my life.
As I was reading the Word the other day, I read this phrase: “at the appointed time.” I was in Genesis 21, where Abraham and Sarah had their first child, Isaac, at quite old ages. (Abraham was 100!) Isaac’s birth was a promise being kept by God, and against all odds, it happened in God’s perfect timing. Isaac was born at God’s appointed time.
Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him. -Genesis 21:2
That got my mind thinking about the sovereignty of God’s appointed timing for things throughout Scripture. Everything happens so carefully according to His perfectly wise timetable. (Or doesn’t!) I did a quick search, and here are a few instances I found where the Bible mentions God’s specific timing.
“If you follow my statutes and faithfully observe my commands, I will give you rain at the right time, and the land will yield its produce, and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.” -Leviticus 26:3-4
Some of those who have insight will fall so that they may be refined, purified, and cleansed until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. -Daniel 11:35
He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. -Matthew 26:18-19
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” -Luke 1:18-20
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. -John 17:1
The God who made the world and everything in it—he is Lord of heaven and earth—does not live in shrines made by hands. … From one man he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live. -Acts :24, 26
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. -Romans 5:6
He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him. -Ephesians 1:9-10
The Bible is filled with births, deaths, miracles, meals, conversations, answered prayers and life changes that happened at God’s appointed time. But God didn’t stop there! All of human history operates on God’s timing. His sovereignty reigns over world events, and nothing happens outside of His divine schedule. He is in complete control of everything that happens in the universe, planet Earth, your country, your city, and also your singular life. All those things in your life that you want to happen at a certain time? Each one will happen at His appointed time.
God knows best! He has a day set on His calendar when He will return to restore the earth, and He has just as specific of a plan for your life, too. Trust Him today. Submit to His timing. I promise, His appointed time is superior to anything you could try to schedule. 🙂