At Just the Right Time

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Romans 5:6-8

 

If you Google “at just the right time” these images, amongst others, will appear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The same Google brings up these verses:

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”            Romans 5:6 NIV

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”      Galatians 4:4-5 NIV

“For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.”      

2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT

 

You may have observed something similar in your own life; that is, sometimes things seem to happen “at just the right time”; like there is a plan. The fact is, the Bible is the story of God’s plan of Redemption where things happen “at just the right time”. The

corollary to this fact is, that YOU and I are a part of this plan.

 

God has worked in your life and in mine to bring us into faith in Christ. He brought people and experiences into our lives that changed us. In turn, He continues to work by bringing you and me into the lives of others to use us in their life.

 

It might be when you are talking around the water cooler at work, having a cookout with your neighbors, at a church dinner, sitting at a Buckeyes game or playing in a golf outing through work. We don’t live in a vacuum. God is always at work, and His work is “at just the right time”.

 

In today’s passage, Paul wrote, ^“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

“While we were still sinners”… You have the best story ever to share with a dying world. It’s your story of how God has been at work in your life. He did it “at just the right time”, and now He is ready for you to be there for somebody else. How does it feel to be a part of God’s plan of redemption?

 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%205%3A6-8&version=NIV;NLT

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/niv/Rom.5.6-Rom.5.8

 

 

 

 

God's timing breathes life

John 11:17-23The Message (MSG)

When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.

Martha said, “Master, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you.”

Jesus said, “Your brother will be raised up.”

The last time we saw Mary and Martha, there was a squabble about who should be helping prepare the house for company. There was much to be done, food to be prepared and one of the sisters was tired from all the work while the other seemed to be relaxing in the main room. 

Today it is Martha who is front and center and Mary who is back in the house - perhaps Mary is having some quiet time remembering her beloved brother or maybe staying with those who came to mourn his passing. Both these women, these sisters of Lazarus, loved and respected Jesus. They know who He was and they understood His power and relationship with Father God.

This story is all about timing. God's plan was carried out to perfection.  His timing, though questioned by faithful followers, proves perfect and necessary. There are a couple of noteworthy happenings here.

First, Jesus didn't need to be at Lazarus's side to heal him. “Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died." Jesus could have healed His friend on the spot, in the instance He knew of the illness. Which, of course, was before even Lazarus first experienced any symptoms.

Second, even though Martha knew of the power of Jesus, she grasped who He was, it seemed she thought He arrived too late to do anything. Did she really understand?

Do we truly understand and believe when it comes to our loved ones? Do we know God only has our best in mind; He only wants good for us? Can we even come close to believing in God's timing being perfect?

Faith...only faith can comfort those who mourn. Only belief in God, believing He is who He says He is, can give us what we need to get through the disaster’s in life.

  

John 11:17-23