Matthew 17:9

Matthew 17:9 ESV And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one about the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”

There was an old commercial; I think for a camera, whose tagline was, “Timing is everything”. That statement is also true for the Christian life. God has a plan and He has a timeline. God has works for us to accomplish (Ephesians 2:10) but the timing is often as important as the deed.

Peter, James, and John had just witnessed something incredible. They were probably excited to tell the others about it. Jesus told them to wait till an appointed time to give the news. Why did He command them to wait? I’m not sure? I’ve heard other people give some possible reasons but the Bible doesn’t clearly tell us. All we know is that Jesus gave specific instructions about timing.

We need to get a sense of God’s timing. Sometimes will direct us down a path but we need to walk it slowly. At other times we may need to run ahead, full speed. That is why an intimate and interactive relationship with God is necessary. We need Him to lead us in the when as well as the what or who.

As a young Christian God gave me a very clear prophecy that I would be a missionary.  Believing that I had a word from God, I began to try and make that happen. Those efforts went nowhere as the timing was off. I was not near ready. It took twelve years for God to prepare and mature me enough to go. That prophecy gave me a goal and a sense of purpose during those dozen years.

Trying to go ahead of God’s timing can cause frustration and even heartache, just like Abraham and Ishmael. Lagging behind God’s timing may result in God giving the task to someone else or accomplishing it another way, causing you to lose whatever reward your obedience would have earned.

Make the effort to deepen your relationship with God. The closer you are to Him, the easier it will be to hear His still small voice and determine times and seasons as well as places and deeds.

Almighty God, You are sovereign. Your plans are perfect. Thank You for including me in your plans. Give me the wisdom and insight to know what You wants me to do, how You want me to do it, and when You want it done.