The Timing of God (Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17

Sometimes God seems to move slowly…very slowly. Perhaps we’ve all found it hard to be patient with the timing of God in our lives. It’s easy to think that we know best and if we only pray harder, then we will push God’s hand and He will finally act, doing what we pray for. But this is not the way God works.

The Scripture above should give us some insight into God’s ways. They are slow, steady, and perfect. Jesus refers to the “law and the prophets” stating that He came not to abolish them but to fulfill them. This is true. But it’s worth looking carefully how this came about.

It came about over many thousands of years. It took time for the perfect plan of God to unfold. But it did unfold in His time and in His way. Perhaps all those in the Old Testament were anxious for the Messiah to come and to fulfill all things. But prophet after prophet came and went and continued to point to the future coming of the Messiah. Even the Old Testament law was a way of preparing God’s people for the coming of the Messiah. But again, it was a slow process of forming the law, implementing it for the people of Israel, enabling them to understand it, and then beginning to live it.  

Even when the Messiah finally did come, there were many who, in their excitement and zeal, wanted Him to fulfill all things right then and there. They wanted their earthly kingdom to be established and they wanted their newfound Messiah to take up His Kingdom!

But God’s plan was so very different than human wisdom. His ways were far above our ways. And His ways continue to be far above our ways! Jesus fulfilled every part of the Old Testament law and prophets, just not in the way many were expecting.

What does this teach us? It teaches us lots of patience. And it teaches us surrender, trust and hope. If we want to pray hard and pray well, we need to pray correctly. And the correct way to pray is to continually pray that Thy will be done! Again, this is hard at first, but it becomes easy when we understand and believe that God always has the perfect plan for our lives and for every struggle and situation in which we find ourselves.  

Reflect, today, upon your patience and your trust in the ways of the Lord. He has a perfect plan for your life, and that plan is most likely different than your plan. Surrender to Him and let His holy will guide you in all things.

Lord, I entrust my life to You. I trust that You have the perfect plan for me and for all Your beloved children. Give me patience to wait upon You and to let You bring Your divine will to fulfillment in my life. Jesus, I trust in You!