“The Timing of God”
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7, English Standard Version)
I have made a great discovery: God’s timing is not my timing. And this is good news, because I have a lousy sense of timing anyway. That’s true when I am at the plate, trying to hit a softball. It is also true when I am going through multiple, crushing stresses as I am right now.
But here is my confession concerning God’s sense of timing:
- God sees more.
- God knows more.
- God loves more.
- God knows more.
And because of the many “more-nesses” of God, I can (at least occasionally) back off of my own frantic timetables.
In 1 Peter 5:7, quoted above, the Greek word translated “he cares” is in the present tense. In Greek, the present tense is used for actions that are taking place continually. God’s continual care for me, for all of us, means that God’s apparent slowness is not a function of his lack of caring about us. God cares continually.
In view of the continual caring of God, the clause “. . . so that at the proper time he may exalt you . . .” means that I need to count on God’s care, even as I wait.
I can wait in God’s care, knowing that God is never late.
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