The Rut of Timing

Ezekiel 29:1

“In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth of month, the word of Lord came to me saying,”

Timing is everything. The late owner of my company used to say that “time kills all deals.” He was right, the longer you wait for a deal to happen, the less chance you have of seeing it close. If you think about it, we are all subject to timing in most everything we do, from getting up to going to bed. The world runs on time.

What’s funny is seeing something out of place, something that isn’t timed right. We all remember Tom Hanks playing a FedEx employee who was stranded on an island in the movie Cast Away. While he was on that island, time just stopped. It stood still. Wilson, the volleyball, was his only friend. For him, time stopped, it was out of place. The rest of the world, however, just kept moving on.

The whole book of Ezekiel is filled with prophecy. He was a prophet while the Israelites were in Babylon. Every prophecy starts with the date and time the Lord spoke to him, and it has been recorded that way. Some believe we are on this earth for no real reason at all, that we are to find ourselves or gain enlightenment by some force. Sounds kind of timeless to me. Sounds out of place, almost. If everything on this earth runs on a clock, from growing cycles to erosional systems, then camping on a timeless view of humanity seems silly.

One of the truths about the Lord that most people don’t really grasp is that He is a God of timing. I love the sign that reads, “Everything happens for a reason, and sometimes the reason is that you are dumb and make bad decisions.” We all make bad decisions. We are human. You read the Bible and find out it is full of people, just like you and me, who make really bad decisions. You would think that would disrupt the timing of things and spoil the Lord’s plans, that He would have to regroup and start over. You would be wrong.

Luke 19:40 tells us, “Jesus replied, ‘I tell you, if these [people] keep silent, the stones will cry out [in praise]!’” In other words, God’s plan will move forward even if we keep silent. God invented time, remember Genesis chapter 1, the first day?

I want to speak to the one who has been stuck in the rut of timing. When you’re in this rut, it feels like time stops and life pulls over to the side of the road in a bad part of town. God is not finished with you! Timing is on your side. You may not be able to see it yet, but the Lord can use your rut for His glory. You may have to learn something in the middle of whatever you’re going through so the Lord can use you in the future.

If you are in a bad part of life because of decisions you’ve made, or because of someone else’s bad choices, have faith today. God has not forgotten about you. Your place in life doesn’t have to stay that way forever. God can redeem you and the time you’ve lost. When walking by faith and not by sight, you focus on the Lord, not on your circumstances.

Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].” Timing is everything. God has got you right where He wants you. The man at the pool of Bethesda was in the right place at the right time when Jesus healed him, even in the middle of a 38-year struggle with life.

It is time to turn and follow Jesus.

Prayer: Father, help me to understand timing. Help me to realize You are the Father of time itself. I pray that I will not get stuck in the rut of timing. Rather, I pray that I will lean not on my own understanding of timing but will acknowledge You in all my ways, and I will watch You direct my steps. I pray and thank You, Father, for everything You are doing in Your timing, not mine. I am predisposed to make snap decisions based on my understanding of timing. Help me to rest under Your wings and realize You have got me right where You want me. In Jesus’ name, amen.