Daily Hope with Rick Warren 14 May 2024, Tuesday Devotional Message
God Is Always on Time
By Rick Warren
“Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9 (NLT)
In the waiting room of life, you can choose to panic. That’s our natural response! We tend to focus on what’s going on around us. We let our circumstances convince us that there is no reason to wait patiently, to be at peace, to trust, to hope.
Instead of panicking, you can choose to trust God. To be able to do that, you need to remember two things: One, God is never in a hurry. And two, God is never late. God’s timing is always perfect.
What happens in those times where it appears that God is late? God is getting you ready for a miracle!
There are so many examples of this in Scripture, including the story of Lazarus (John 11). Lazarus was one of Jesus’ best friends, and he had two sisters named Mary and Martha. They lived in Bethany, which was just a few miles from where Jesus was on the day Lazarus got sick. They sent word to Jesus that his friend was gravely ill and asked him to come to them.
Jesus could have easily been in Bethany in an hour or two. But it took him three days to go about five miles. When he got there, they told him, “You’re too late! We’ve already buried Lazarus.”
Jesus wasn’t late—because he already knew what he was going to do. His goal was not to heal Lazarus. His goal was to raise him from the dead. Jesus’ goal was not to just make Lazarus well. His goal was to do a miracle of astronomical proportions.
Jesus walked up to Lazarus’ tomb, told them to roll the stone away, and said, “Lazarus, come out.” And Lazarus did!
Sometimes God lets a situation get so bad that only a miracle will do.
God already knows what he’s going to do in your life next month, next year, and in the next decade, and his plan for you is good.
Don’t panic. Don’t give up your faith. Hold on. Keep praying and serving and meeting with God’s family. Keep sowing. Keep believing. Because you’re getting ready for a miracle.
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