Good morning! Today is Wednesday, December 18, 2024. Have you ever been to a junior high concert where the band’s timing is completely off? The drummer beats out one rhythm, the conductor’s baton waves to another tempo, and each band member seems to have their own idea. It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard! During rehearsals, you’ll often hear the conductor rapping his baton on the music stand and shouting, “Timing, students! Timing!” (Though they never quite seem to get it right.) It makes me wonder: do we sometimes sound like a junior high orchestra to the audience of heaven? Read on …
Today's Reading:
John 2,3,4
Scripture
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming … But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people....’” (John 4:21-23)
Observation
Jesus mentioned that phrase at the wedding in Cana of Galilee earlier in John 2. He said to His mother, “My time has not yet come.” We hear it again at Christmastime when we quote Galatians 4:4: “But when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son…” God sets the timing—not us.
In His conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus emphasizes the importance of God’s timing: “The hour is coming…” Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
Application
I often wrestle with impatience, wanting to push ahead or take matters into my own hands. We pray for open doors, but when they don’t appear on our timetable, we try to turn the knobs ourselves. Acting too soon or too late can disrupt the beauty of God’s perfect plan.
Mistimed obedience is still disobedience. Waiting isn’t wasted time; it’s preparation time. In seasons of waiting, God is shaping our hearts to align with His eternal purposes. We often approach life with a temporal agenda, but His plan is eternal.
When we move ahead of Him, we risk stepping outside of His eternal will. Timing is everything in God’s plan. Obedience includes timing—so we can stay in step with the Conductor.
Prayer
Lord, I confess that I often grow impatient, wanting things to unfold according to my timeline instead of Yours. Help me to trust in Your perfect timing in every area of my life. Teach me to wait on You—with my words, my decisions, and my plans. Thank You for reminding me that You are the Conductor. If we all stay in step with You, our lives will become music to Your ears. Amen.
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