“When the time had fully come, God sent his Son.” Galatians 4:4 NIV.

God achieves His eternal purposes in the calendar and daily appointments of your life.

My thoughts and comments today are about “Christmas time.”

Christmas is a good time to thoughtfully examine life. Fast paces and busy schedules leave little time for purposeful reflection. Hurrying with little time to spare or running late and borrowing scarce minutes from the next event on your schedule, life becomes a blur. Lives are lived in a rush, wanting everything right now.

God’s plans rarely, if ever, coincide with your calendar. Nor does He submit them for your approval. But God is never late, though sometimes it may feel to you like He is. The psalmist trusted his times to God’s timing. “I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hands.” Psalm 31:15 NIV. God has an impeccable sense of timing; your objective should be to synchronize your life with God’s plans and His calendar. “The steps of the Godly are directed by the Lord, and He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23 NLT.

The Christmas narrative begins in the story of Zachariah, a priest of the Levites, and his wife, Elizabeth, the cousin of Mary. As a young, loving couple they anticipated their first child as so many others have. Year after year they waited, until their dream adjusted to their reality. Apparently, they reasoned, they desired a child they would not have. Eventually, Zachariah’s appraisal was honest and accurate, “I am old . . and my wife is also.” Luke 1:18 NLT.

Then God startled Zachariah with news of the son for whom they had prayed; he was to be named John, a herald of the Messiah. At God’s time, your circumstances will not hinder Him from doing what He purposed to do – however long the years have been or whatever the circumstances of the moment. God is never late; you and I are often impatient.

God is neither cruel nor unfeeling, never unsympathetic or uncaring about your dreams and desires, but the calendar of eternity charts the purposes of God, not the random clocks of mortal plans. Your Father knows how and when to best fulfill your prayers, and precisely when and where His eternal plan intersects with His intentions and blessings. See Jeremiah 29:11 NIV. The trust issue is your acceptance, obedience, and faithfulness meanwhile.  

In the purpose and providence of God, the day would come; “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. This man came to bear witness of the Light, that all through Jesus might believe . . and of His fullness we have all received.” Read John 1:6-9/16. God’s plan was more vast and inclusive than Zachariah and Elizabeth’s hopes and plans, “. . that all through Jesus might believe,” reaching even to you and me today, and all who will follow. God coordinated the birth of John exactly when he could be the herald of the Savior. They would be content with a child; God gave them a messenger of Messiah.

While they may have thought the answer to their prayers was late, Christmas time is always the best time. That is true in your life as well. Christmas came exactly when and as God intended, “When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” Galatians 4:4-5 NIV. God achieves His eternal purposes in the calendar and daily appointments of your life.

Today, my prayer for you is that you will expect God at any time while waiting for Him every time.