Do you patiently wait for God’s perfect timing?

 28 May 26

Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Devotions on F.I.R.E. Year One


Readings:

1 Chronicles 23

1 Chronicles 24

1 Chronicles 25

John 11:1-17


Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! (Psalm 27:14). 


Do you patiently wait for God’s perfect timing?


There was a Jewish tradition in Jesus’ day that the deceased's soul hovered over the body for three days, hoping for life to be restored. Jesus, knowing that Lazarus died, doesn’t visit the family until four days after his passing (John 11:17). Our Lord tells the disciples, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). Jesus, being eternally God, is the author, sustainer, and controller of both time and life. Paul describes Him as “before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:17). Jesus’ appearance in Bethany and the resurrection of Lazarus are according to His divine plan. His timing is always perfect. 


Employment Point: Wait on the Lord’s perfect timing in all matters in your life.

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Reflections

In these 3 chapters of Chronicles, David had assigned the different people and their descendants to minister in the temple, since the Lord has dwell in the city of David. Some of the other positions were decided by casting lots. And because David was also of age, he assigned Solomon to take over him as king.


“When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,”

‭‭John‬ ‭11‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

  • I remember when I read about this and we were discussing about it. Why Jesus knew that Lazarus “died”, and didn’t go immediately. I guess the devotional explained things to us that the Jews believed in this tradition that the deceased’s soul will still hover the body for three days. So it made sense for Jesus to return on the 4th day so that nobody can claim that it’s just tradition that the man can be back from the dead. All that is done like what Jesus said, to glorify the Lord and the Son of God.
  • The application for us, is kind of similar. We may think that situations have changed and it is no longer possible to have a good outcome. But whatever that is impossible for us doesn’t mean that it is also impossible for God. For Him, all things are possible. Sometimes we just need to commit it all to Him and wait for His leading. We must always remember not to try to play God.


“His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.””John‬ ‭11‬:‭12‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

  • I believe Thomas may have misunderstood what the Lord meant. He may have thought that the Lord meant martyrdom and that entering Judea may mean that they too may be stoned.


On the waiting for the Lord, it is something that we all need to learn. To let Him lead and we just follow. To have this stillness while waiting and not be anxious about anything, trusting that He will protect and provide for all our needs and even our wants, be it waiting for a home to call our own, waiting for a new job opportunity, waiting for a future partner, if there is, etc. In all these waiting, we learn to trust in the Lord.

————————

Unquestioned Revelation

BY OSWALD CHAMBERS

May 28


In that day you will ask Me nothing. —John 16:23


When is “that day”? It is when the ascended Lord makes you one with the Father. “In that day” you will be one with the Father just as Jesus is, and He said, “In that day you will ask Me nothing.” Until the resurrection life of Jesus is fully exhibited in you, you have questions about many things. Then after a while you find that all your questions are gone— you don’t seem to have any left to ask. You have come to the point of total reliance on the resurrection life of Jesus, which brings you into complete oneness with the purpose of God. Are you living that life now? If not, why aren’t you?


“In that day” there may be any number of things still hidden to your understanding, but they will not come between your heart and God. “In that day you will ask Me nothing”— you will not need to ask, because you will be certain that God will reveal things in accordance with His will. The faith and peace of John 14:1 has become the real attitude of your heart, and there are no more questions to be asked. If anything is a mystery to you and is coming between you and God, never look for the explanation in your mind, but look for it in your spirit, your true inner nature— that is where the problem is. Once your inner spiritual nature is willing to submit to the life of Jesus, your understanding will be perfectly clear, and you will come to the place where there is no distance between the Father and you, His child, because the Lord has made you one. “In that day you will ask Me nothing.”


2 Chronicles 4-6; John 10:24-42


WISDOM FROM OSWALD

Both nations and individuals have tried Christianity and abandoned it, because it has been found too difficult; but no man has ever gone through the crisis of deliberately making Jesus Lord and found Him to be a failure.

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Reflections

I reckon this state of mind is where one is at ease with himself and also with the Lord. There probably ain’t much struggle about the happenings in one life because one has understood that the Lord is lord over all things. 


I guess that day is the day when the Lord has granted us a whole new level of revelation. Where we get a glimpse of how He looks at the world, how He has felt when dealing with all the negative emotions or people, what He meant when we are to love our enemies and perhaps also more importantly how to love.


We will learn that because Jesus and the Father is one, and we also co-heirs of Christ, we and Jesus and the Father are one as well. We are in this big family together. At peace with one another. No bitterness or anger or jealousy, etc. Just a blessed shalom peace with no need to strive for anything, as we live under the blessings of our Lord and Father.


We will realise that He is always here with us, whether we know it or not. A bonus if He reveals His presence.


Let’s pray:


Abba Father, we thank You for the revelation that You have granted us, to allow us to come into Your Holy presence fully being ourselves and having nothing to fear and nothing to hide. Thank You Lord for accepting us as co-heirs of Christ and to call us Your children. How awesome is it to be able to call You Abba Father. Grant us this shalom peace in our hearts as we continue to seek You and be with You. Thank You Lord Jesus. In the name of Jesus we ask and pray. Amen 🙏🏻 

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