This is a classic scripture that is often read at pivotal moments like births and deaths or retirements or during building projects or even starting a new school year or at graduation! I will not have time to expound on all the life situations that are mentioned in these verses. But all the events fit into the larger theme of time and more precisely within God’s timing. But most importantly, these are not random happenings related to fate or blind circumstances. No! This is teaching that life events are held within the timing and purpose of God. And life is filled with meaning and purpose, wonder and amazement when we live within the timing of God. Conversely, life becomes most difficult and lacks meaning and purpose and becomes destructive when we live outside the timing of God.
This scripture brings many truths to mind about time. First, I want to think about:
The Measurement of God’s Timing
Each of us has the same amount of time in a day. But we do not all have the same number of days on this earth. We often say, “our days are numbered”. Psalm 90 encourages us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
I mentioned in the Newsletter about experiences early in ministry that I presided over a service for a prematurely born little girl who was flighted to a Neonatal Unit but only lived for 24 hours. It was a traumatic experience for everyone involved as you might imagine. A death like hers we often refer to as “untimely” because she did not have a normal life expectancy.
Very soon after that tragic loss, one of the oldest people in our congregation died. He was 90 and married 63 years. He had lived a full life, but as we often say, “his time had come”. He had lived well beyond the normal life expectancy, and it was time for him to depart from this life into the glory of heaven. It was a stark contrast in losses just days apart.
The scripture that came to mind in reflecting over these stark contrasts about how we measure or view time, was 2 Peter 3:8 “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” This verse emphasizes that God exists outside of human perception of time and that His timing is different from ours. This was especially pivotal with the context of the little girl who only lived a day. As finite beings we are limited in our understanding of how and why things happen as they do. But we are called and challenged to see by eyes of faith, beyond our limits and look from heaven’s perspective. Whether we live to be 90 or only 1 day, in the scope of eternity our time here is ALL very brief. Scripture teaches that life is as a breath or a fading flower or as the grass that withers. But the good news is in the timing and plan of God a whole eternity awaits us as the people of God. Yes, one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day to the Lord. God’s timing is often very different than ours. But more than the measurement of time there is:
The Meaning of God’s Timing
The New Testament uses two primary Greek words to convey different aspects of time: chronos and kairos.
Chronos refers to chronological or sequential time, like the passage of minutes, hours, days, etc. Many of you will be watching the clock today and length of the sermon!
Kairos signifies a specific, opportune moment, a season, or a critical point in time, often with a sense of divine appointment or significance.
John Blakeney talked about Kairos ministry last week. And he indicated it was God’s time. This is an event that takes place on a certain extended weekend but what happens in that event transcends chronos time. We may say that kairos time has a sense of eternity contained within chronos time.
Another great part of this scriptural teaching is there is a timing and rhythm that God has placed in the creation itself. We see this timing and rhythm in the most vital experiences in life. Everything around us will only work properly if it is done within the right time.
Most of you drove here in your automobile. Unless you have an all-electric car, your car has a timing belt. Show picture of the timing belt. A timing belt synchronizes the crankshaft and camshaft, ensuring the engine’s valves open and close at the correct time relative to the pistons. Without that belt your car will not operate. Similarly, if the timing is off on your engine will sputter and backfire and lose power and efficiency.
Another example of timing is in music. We sang hymns today and the choir sang wonderfully. But in music every song or hymn is written in a certain time…some are in 3/4 time, some are in 4/4 time, etc. Songs can be fast or slow depending on the tempo…but they will not sound correct or as the author intended if they are not played in the right timing and rhythm or tempo.
I remember as children we played vinyl records. I’m showing my age here. Although vinyl record players are making a comeback. (Show picture of a record player) There were normally 3 speeds to play records, larger records were normally played at 78 or 33 1/3 rpm and smaller records at 45 rpm. We used to have fun playing the records at different speeds to distort the voices. But it was a distortion no less… the timing was totally off, and the music was nothing like it was intended. More serious songs sounded like Alvin and the Chipmunks! While it was funny, it was no less a distortion of the music and not as it was designed to play. I find that if we are not in timing with God, life become distorted and chaotic.
One more example and more serious situation is how important timing is related to our physical health. This past week our secretary, Linda Burr, had a bout with Afib (atrial fibrillation). This is an experience when the heart is out of rhythm. It is beating too fast/slow and inconsistently leading to an inefficient pumping of blood. This can increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, and other complications. So glad that Linda is ok! And through a procedure her heart was put back in correct rhythm. But the most vital organ in our body operates within consistent timing and rhythm. Without that right timing and rhythm of the heart our body function becomes more difficult or even life threatening. I find it interesting that timing and rhythm are built into the heart of every person. Surely this is a great indication about the timing of God written into creation.
But what is true in the physical world is also true in the spiritual world. And this relates back to the scripture that God has set a time for every purpose under heaven. And we must simply recognize and respond to the timing that God has established.
First, I want to look at some people who were not living in God’s time but only by their own time and purpose.
Those who Fail to Recognize God’s Timing
Samson was sidetracked by Delilah and failed to recognize the Lord had left him. (Judges 16:20) Samson allowed his personal feelings for Delilah to wreck his life and put him out of relationship with God. His life was out sync with God and he did not even know God had left him. Sometimes our personal feelings can override our relationship with God. And our lives become out of sync and chaotic at best.
Johan ran from God and wound up in the belly of a big fish (Jonah 2) Show picture here Jonah was running from the call of God to preach at Nineveh. He took a ship in the opposite direction. And ended up being thrown overboard to spare the ship and crew but was swallowed by a whale. Now we know that Jonah went on to preach at Nineveh and they repented to spare this city. But he was reluctant to respond to the timing of God. Some, like Jonah, may run from the timing and purpose of God. I did that for a while before answering a call to ministry. Glad I didn’t get swallowed by a fish. But I went through a dark period before finally responding to God’s call. I find that many people often run from what they know God wants them to do. And their lives are never in sync with God and they lack inner peace and remain restless until they are back in sync with God.
Perhaps the saddest example of people not recognizing God’s timing and plan were the Jewish people during the time of Jesus.
The Jews who failed to recognize the time of their visitation. (Luke 19:44)
John tells us that Jesus came to His own and His own did not receive him. Prior to His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem Jesus wept over the city and foretold the Romans would level Jerusalem to the ground and children within the walls, and they will not leave one stone upon another, because they did not recognize the time of their visitation.” That prediction came true in AD 70 when Rome demolished the temple.
So, we find that recognizing God’s timing is not just essential for healthy living, but it is essential for our salvation now and for eternity. So then, how do we live in God’s timing? Thankfully we have a perfect model to follow. And the answer is, Jesus!
The Model of Living in God’s Timing: Jesus
Scripture teaches that Jesus was born in the fullness of time. Galatians 4:4
Well, the fullness of time is amazing considering all the prophecies that were fulfilled at the birth of Jesus and his coming. He was born “in the fullness of time”. He was born exactly at the time and place that was prophesied according to the timing and plan of God. Yet we know that Jesus’ purpose was to come to die for the sins of the world, to die on Calvary. Jesus’ life was lived perfectly within the timing and plan of God. Often in the scriptures, and particularly in John’s gospel, when they came to take Jesus before the time, he says, “My time has not yet come.” John 7:6.
But it was in the Garden, just before he was arrested, he was praying and says, “My time has come.” (John 12:23)
Further, Jesus foretold these events to his disciples on more than on occasion. That he would suffer and die and then be raised on the third day. And it was on that first Good Friday in perfect timing with the plan and purpose of God that Jesus died for the sins of the world, for your sins and my sins. And not only that, it was on the third day, not the first day, not the second day, but the third day in perfect timing with God, even as Jesus foretold that he was going to be raised up from the dead, and indeed he did! You should look at the whole life of Jesus through the Gospels. He was in perfect unity and timing with God.
So, obviously we are not Jesus, but we follow his model and example as to how we redeem time and live in harmony and rhythm with God’s timing in our lives. How do we do that? That’s the question. In Philippians, Paul says, “What things were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea! Doubtless, and I count all things but loss that I may win him and be found in him.” (Philippians 3)
And in his commentary on this, Alexander Maclaren says, “You must barter the lower if you want to secure the higher ends of your life in the appointed seasons.” What he’s saying is every day we’re making decisions about how we’re investing or spending our time. And very often you have to trade that time. There are many things we might do today. But… Are you trading up or down in the time that you’re spending and the activities of your life? We might call this the Management of Time. This is greatly related to redeeming the time as Paul teaches. Or as we stated earlier being careful how we spend our time, making the best decisions and living in God’s timing not our timing. This is exactly what Jesus did. This is what Paul did. And this is what we are called to do also!
I’ve discovered that we tend to put more and more things on our calendars, and it’s crowded so that we end up being pressed and stressed and hurrying and rushing continually. But I wonder in our rush, in our hustle, in our business are we really accomplishing God’s purpose for us? Are we living in God’s timing with the activities we are engaging?
Kirk Cousins, former quarterback for the Vikings, is now with the Atlanta Falcons. BTW, you must have the proper timing when you throw a football to make a pass and be in sync with the timing of the receiver! But more importantly, Cousins has a sculpture outside his house with an odd purpose: it’s intended to remind him of his mortality.
Planning to live to 90, he has a jar of 720 stones (one for each month he intends to live) at his home. Each month, he takes a stone out of the jar and carries it with him. He told one sports reporter, “every month [he’s] going to take out a stone, put it in [his] pocket, and think: ‘Once this month is over, this is gone. You can’t get it back; it’s gone for good.’”
It’s only a little morbid until you remember that, as Cousins takes out the stones, he has a visual reminder—right outside his front door, no less—that his time on Earth is getting shorter and shorter. The idea actually came to Cousins from a Bible teacher, in response to Psalm 90:12: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” This verse, Cousins says, is “about the importance of leaving a mark and making a deposit in people’s lives in a way that matters. In other words, you have an understanding that life is coming to an end someday, and that we only have so many days. There’s wisdom in that.” I think Cousins is reflecting what it means to live in the timing of God.
The last thing I would mention is that Jesus is Coming Back again to restore this fallen world and bring about complete salvation. And when will that happen? The short answer is according to our theme today, “In God’s Timing”. World events may indicate signs of His coming. And many try to predict it with schemes and formulas and timetables. But we as Abraham, walk by faith trusting God to guide us even though we may not know the chronos time when this event will happen. This will happen in Kairos time as determined and planned by God!
I close with a note from the Newsletter article. In our human condition we live in fragmented time. We often long for yesterday or for a better tomorrow. But we have no control over either. Jesus spoke against worrying about the future, knowing God will provide for us as He does for the sparrow (Matthew 6). The best we can do is live in the timing of God with however much time we have allotted on this earth. And we live in hope and await the Coming Again of Christ when there will be nor more fragmented time or fragmented hearts. And we long for the day when all things will be made new and all creation will be restored. This is the promise and hope we have as Christ followers. And yes, by His power and promise, He will make all things new… in His time, not ours! Alleluia! Amen!