Day Twenty-two

“Therefore Jesus told them, ‘The right time for me has not yet come;
for you any time is right.’” (John 7:6)

Scripture Reading: John 7:1–9

Sometimes we think of Christ’s sufferings as limited to His final days on earth. We overlook the difficulties Jesus faced throughout His life. John 7 describes an ongoing conflict He faced. We wince when we read about the official who slapped Christ, but the sting couldn’t compare to the emotional slap He received from His brothers.

Jesus “came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11 kjv). He suffered personal wounds long before a crown of thorns pierced His brow. Can you imagine the wonders Jesus’ brothers missed because of their disbelief? When Christ confronted His brothers’ ridicule, He taught them a vital lesson about timing. He can speak on the subject with authority. Time was the first element He created. Genesis 1:1 opens with the words, “In the beginning.” Before Christ created light, He had to create time. Prior to creation, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit dwelt in timelessness. As the Creator of time, Christ can manipulate it as He chooses.

Enter timing—the manipulation of time. In Christ’s rebuttal to His brothers, He drew a line in the sand separating them on the basis of their attitudes toward time. He said to them, “The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right.”

Christ lived for one purpose: to do the will of the Father (see John 6:38). His brothers lived for themselves. One regarded time as a sacred tool to be used by the Father discriminately. The others perceived time as an invitation for opportunism at each man’s discretion. The brothers’ differences on the matter of timing measured a much deeper variance in the hearts of Mary’s sons.

Perhaps today we can apply the same measuring stick to ourselves. Our attitude toward timing may shed light on the desires of our hearts. If our heart’s desire is the will of God, we will wait for His timing even when the pause is long and uncomfortable. We gain nothing by running ahead of God. We remember times we’ve tried only to be displeased with the results. If we desire to do our own will, we will tend, like Christ’s brothers, to think any time is right! Plunge ahead! Why wait on God?

John 7:5 tells us Christ’s brothers “did not believe in him” at this time. Isn’t it amazing how faith affects our attitudes about timing? Do we truly believe God knows what is best for us? Then we can also believe God knows when is best for us.

Are you waiting on God? Are you anxious because an answer is not coming? Remember no one uses timing better than the One who created time. Just because “the right time . . . has not yet come” doesn’t mean you have to waste time. Use every second of the wait to allow the Father to increase your faith and deepen your trust. Stay so close that when He finally says “now,” He’ll only have to whisper.