Good morning, Lord Jesus. O Lord, my God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--take hold of me and every dimension of my life--spirit, soul, and body.
"They said to him, 'Where is your wife Sarah?' And he said, 'There, in the tent.' Then one said, 'I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.' And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, 'After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?' The Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh, and say, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son'" (Genesis 18:9-14).
Last night God’s grace came to me in a rather strange place, a craft brewery in Huntsville. sitting around a table with other men who attend our weekly Brothers, Bibles and Beer gathering. We spent 2 hours honestly sharing the challenges, struggles, and successes in our lives, marriages, families, work, and spiritual life. We read from the Bible and discussed its application, and we shared prayer requests and prayed over each other. This time we spent together was set by God. The passage above from Genesis came up in our prayers so this morning I turned to it and read it again.
Reading the passage, I was reminded that there is a "set time ... in due season." And God You're the One who sets the time and the season, not me. Sometimes Your promises seem "too wonderful" and even impossible. Sometimes when I look at my life through my eyes it seems my chance has passed, I missed the moment, my ship has sailed, my window of opportunity has closed. Sometimes it even seems likes the door of destiny has been slammed in my face. "But God..." (Genesis 8:1; 20:3; 21:12; 31:7; 45:8; 48:21; 50:24; ect., ect., ect. throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelations; over and over and over again; more than I could ever ask or imagine...).
"But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love which He loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-7). To which I say praise God!!!
Give me grace to firmly believe and patiently wait for the "set time ... in due season" for every promise You've spoken to my heart by Your Spirit and through Your Word. Whenever I'm tempted to be the setter of my times and seasons; whenever I am tempted to question or laugh, to scoff or doubt, remind me of every time it looked so impossible and unbelievable "but God...." For this saying is sure and this Word is true, "For God all things are possible" (Mark 10:27). "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him" (Lamentations 3:25).
There is a time and a season for all things, according to Your will and Your ways for every one of us (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). You make all things beautiful in Your time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). And You have shown Yourself so worthy so many times of my patience and my trust. So as for me, I will put my trust in You--in the God whose promises are always Yes and Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray today you begin your day by looking back in your past and remember every time something seemed impossible, “But God…” I pray you see every promise of the Lord to you by His Spirit and through His Word come to pass and make all things beautiful for you in His time and in His way, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
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