We need to accept the fact that there are appointed times by God and He has the authority to decide when, what, and how things are going to be. God the Eternal created the concept of time. God is eternal, but He created the concept of time, and when He commenced to create this world, that’s when time was invented basically. John 1 says that in the beginning was the Word. In the beginning. There was a beginning that... And you know, Stephen Hawking, the scientist said, oh, I know exactly how the world came to pass, but I really don’t know why.
Well, God knows why, because He created it for His purpose. And God created the world, and that world that He created already had the Word because it wasn’t a created thing. It was the Word in the beginning. Colossians says, “For by Him, all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Jesus was there from the creation of this world. He was always there. He’s always been there because He is not part of the creation. He’s part of the Creator.
One of the hardest aspects of the Christian life is when the answer to our prayer is either no or wait. It is a common experience among us all. Sometimes it seems that God’s timing is out of sync with our petition or need. Yet while He is the One who instituted time, He dwells outside of time and moves according to His planning and timing.
Peter mentioned this very fact in his 2nd epistle:
2 Peter 3:3-4
Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
In other words, a time was coming when people would doubt the return of Christ because it hadn’t happened yet. And from a human perspective, it has been a long time since the promise of His return was made.
This same kind of thing can happen in our lives, though not from doubting the Lord is coming for us someday. Sometimes, though, when the answer to prayer is long in coming, our minds can begin to wonder and wander. We wonder if He ever heard us or has maybe forgotten us, neither of which is possible.
Jeremiah 33:3
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
God is the One who told us to call out to Him and God is the One who said He will answer. Yes, Jeremiah wrote to the Jews but the God of Israel is the God of the church, and He doesn’t change.
Maybe the answer to your prayer was no, maybe it was wait, but the promise we have from Him is great and mighty things will be revealed to us in His time. So whenever God’s response includes us waiting, remember and hang onto this immutable truth:
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
This is true when He says yes, it’s true when He says no, and it’s true when He says wait. It’s even true when that wait seems too long. Hold fast to Him, things will work together for our good, in His time.
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus