Daily Devotional Feb 25th 2021: Who's Timing Is This Anyway?

Timing is everything. I have two birds, Cookie, a parakeet, and Trumpy Bird a.k.a. DQM (Drama Queen Magnet). DQ is a very demanding gal. When she doesn't like something, she grumbles like an old man. Both have free flight in the house throughout the day. When I leave the room, she calls for me, loudly, sometimes even hysterically. But there are times when she doesn't because she KNOWS... My morning routine involves prepping my coffee, then opening the door to the office where they sleep to clean their dishes and prepare food and water. Then, it's a daily, 10-minute client task, and then I am writing the Devotional, as I am now. The birds stay in their cages until I am done with the devotional. But neither Cookie nor DQ makes a fuss during this time; they know. But as soon as it's 09:30 AM, DQ especially starts to screech: Lemme out, lemme out! She knows it's time to come out and play with daddy. 

In the evening, at 6:15 pm like clockwork, Cookie gracefully flies back into his cage, getting ready for the night. DQ climbs back in hers at 6:30--on the dot. She climbs up to her sleeping perch, makes a giggle sound, and awaits her nightly set of sunflower treats. Every night without fail. You see, Cookie and DQ know what to expect. As their daddy, I have established a routine, which has become second nature to them.

In the morning, they trust me to KNOW when to let them out, and at night, they trust me to close the office door to "tuck them in". They trust me patiently and unconditionally.

Imagine, if you will, they threw a tizzy fit in the morning every time I am would write the devotional. I need peace and zero distraction during this time. Yeah, Cookie is singing away, but DQ patiently entertains herself. She makes no undue demands, and she isn't obnoxiously yelling at me because it is not her time yet. She trusts me patiently.

Now let's think of the patience we have with God. How often do we complain, sometimes even raise our voice, and yell at our Creator: God Make this Happen NOW? Are we speaking to our God with humility? He isn't our servant; we are His. When, Lord, O when will You do this or that for me? Why are You not listening? Why do you have me wait and suffer? 

But don't we know, God's timing is always perfect? There are millions, if not billions, connected things that must be sorted before our item (if it is godly) will come to pass.

Well then, there are two kinds of patience. The one is of the LORD, and the other is ours.

Patience. Ability to take a great deal of punishment from evil people or circumstances without losing one’s temper, without becoming irritated and angry, or without taking vengeance. It includes the capacity to bear pain or trials without complaint, the ability to forbear under severe provocation, and the self-control which keeps one from acting rashly even though suffering opposition or adversity.

The usual Hebrew expression for patience is related to the verb “to be long” and involves the idea of being long to get riled or slow to become angry. Two different Greek words are translated by kjv translators with the word “patience.” One of the words has the idea of “remaining firm under” tests and trials and is better translated “endurance” or “steadfastness.” The other Greek word is related to the above Hebrew meaning and refers to patience as “long-spiritedness” or “calmness of spirit” even though under severe provocation to lose one’s temper.

Patience, which is an attribute of our God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, should also characterize each Christian. Paul’s prayer for the Colossians is that they might demonstrate this quality (Col. 1:11). It is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), an attribute of love (1 Cor. 13:4), and a virtue (Col. 3:12). In addition, Christians are exhorted to be patient (1 Thess. 5:14). Most particularly, Christians are commanded to be long-suffering until the coming of the Lord (Jas. 5:7). The image James presents is that of a farmer waiting patiently for the crop to come. In due season, the harvest will come. Jesus will return. Let us be patient until then, and endure our trials for the glory of God.

 Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P. W. (2000). In Holman treasury of key Bible words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew words defined and explained (p. 357). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
 Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Patience. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 2, p. 1619). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

If we walk in the Spirit of God, if we let Him guide us, we are on the RIGHT side of God. But how does this apply to our current situation, the threat this nation is under, the treason she endures, the children that are abused and trafficked, the people that die, all the bad things that are happening? We are seeing the result of man exercising free will. But who are we to question God's timing for judgment? Has the LORD not be patient with us? Has He not by His grace, brought us into His Kingdom when we were still evil? Are we not commanded to be as patient and graceful as the LORD has been with us? 

John 13:7
“Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” 

How to Pray

LORD, we give you all glory and praise.
Forgive us, Father God, for questioning Your timing, for claiming that I know better than You.
Help me, LORD, by Your Holy Spirit, to be patient in with all people, in all matters.
Help me, LORD, to look at You and accept Your timing and not question it.

Isaiah 55:8 - 55:13

8 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.
12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap [their] hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign [that] shall not be cut off.

Psalms 31:15
“My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.”

In Jesus' name
Amen

#Devotional #Scripture4TheDay #EvilTongue #patience #GodsTiming #faith

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