From God’s perspective,
His timing is perfect because He sees the entire plan. From the human
perspective, God’s timing can be frustrating because we so often see (in our
minds) so little progress toward the fulfillment of promises made in His Word.
The Apostle Paul, in Antioch on a Sabbath day,
went to the Synagogue. Given the opportunity, he said: “The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people
prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that
country, he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert, he
overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to his people as their
inheritance." (Acts 13:17-19)
God kept his promises to
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Joshua, but He chose to do it in 450 years! More
than 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ promised, “. . . I will build My church;
and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16: 18b)
Jesus also told the
disciples gathered in the Upper Room the night he was betrayed and arrested, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2b-3)
When Peter and John and
the other disciples heard Jesus make these promises, they most likely thought
that He would fulfill them in a few years. They never dreamed that He would
take millenniums!
Making disciples of Jesus
Christ and establishing local churches in any cultural setting is not easy, and
often takes much more time than we anticipate.
But the Apostle Paul
reminded the church
of Corinth that, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but
God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but
only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have
one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are
God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.” (1
Corinthians 3:6-9)
Jesus is building His
church throughout the world through His disciples, and He is taking His time in
developing them. His promises are true and will be fulfilled . . . according to His timetable, not ours.
--Russ Sharrock
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Now scheduling speaking engagements for October-November 2013! If you would like Russ & Alice Sharrock to come share about the work of Asia International Mission at your church or home group click HERE to make arrangements. We would love to talk to you.
Asia International Mission is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry.
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