We used to have a rule in our house that "wake up time" is 7:00. This allowed Mom, who's not a morning person, to wake up earlier and have some quiet time. In my husband's words...just as you don't wake a sleeping bear, you don't wake the sleeping mommy! We would remind the kids of this wake up time frequently before bed and they had a clock in their room with stickers indicating 7:00. Sounds complicated,. but it actually worked quite well. So one night after prayers, on the way to bed, Mackenzie mumbles almost in a teenager tone, "What does 7:00 even mean anyway!?" At that moment I realized it meant nothing - absolutely nothing to a 4 year old!
Have you ever noticed how God's timing isn't our timing? I have! It's like The Chronicles of Narnia. When Lucy walks through the back of that wardrobe and into Narnia, time in the world behind her stops. This can really confuse our finite minds and cause us to doubt God.
"Where are you Lord? I need you right now!"
The disciples had an encounter similar to this in Mat 14:22-37. They were out in the middle of a lake and caught in a raging storm. Helpless to the buffeting waves, they wait for help. Midnight...1:00...2:00...3:00...4:00... When suddenly a figure appears out on the water, walking towards them. "Is it a ghost?" they cry. No, instead the voice replies, " It is I. Don't be afraid." Ahh. Jesus is here! But they still weren't sure. Peter says, "Lord if it's you, tell me to come you on the water." And Jesus does. Peter goes walking out to him on the water. He's doing good, until he sees the waves. Then he begins to sink. Jesus reaches out His hand to help and says, " You of little faith. Why did you doubt?"
Why do I doubt? The disciples had Jesus with them physically and still doubted. Sometimes I just get tired of waiting out in the middle of the lake and by the 4th watch of the night, I'm tired and ready to take matters into my own hands! Other times, I think God shows up in my circumstances and I fail to recognize Him. But I love how this story ends. After Jesus and Peter climb back into the boat, the wind dies down. And it's at that moment those who were in the boat worshiped Jesus, proclaiming, "Truly you are the Son of God." I'm so thankful that God is patient with me and tenderly cares for me. He stays with me and keeps working and then finally, I get it and have to say, "Truly you are the One True God!"
God's timing is seldom our own, and "what does 7:00 even mean anyway!?"
I'm a little older than 4 and I still don't know what 7:00 means either. And my family will testify to that!
ReplyDeleteI read Isa 40 this morning and it speaks of this same truth. As in, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fanthom." (v. 28)