God's Calendar
God is a stickler on
timing, events, and their meaning. His calendar is marked in the stars, kept by
the moon, observed by the sun, and ordered in the
rotation of the earth. All of his important dates are written in advance, his
feasts, celebrations, Sabbaths and epoch changing
events.
"And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up
kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and
knowledge to them that know understanding:" (Daniel 2:21)
"Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in
the east, and are come to worship him." (Matthew 2:2)
"The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and
earth, does not dwell in temples made with
hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He
Himself gives to all people life and breath and
all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the
face of the earth, having determined their
appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek
God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him,
though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist,
as even some of your own poets have said, `For
we also are His children. (Acts 17:24-28)
He calls us to remember His past appointments. He knew the Hebrews would be in
bondage for 400 years in Egypt, and the
precise day His deliverer Moses would stand before Pharaoh, demanding that he
let God's people go. He let Daniel peek at His
appointment book to see the great world empires that would arrive, each in it's
own season to rule the earth and govern its people.
(Daniel 2) He appointed 70 weeks of years upon the Jewish nation divided into
precise sequences, that foretold the rebuilding of
Jerusalem, the death of Messiah, and the coming of anti-christ. He planned for
the "fullness of times", (Galatians 4:4) when His Son
would manifest to the world, while the Jewish religious leaders were ripe with
hardness of heart, during the height of the Roman
Empire, with its technology, justice, roadways, culture and language.
God knew there would be a woman waiting at the well at midday in Samaria, who
needed relief from the shame that she felt for so
many years. He knew there would be a tax collector named Zaccheus who would
respond to the offer of fellowship and grace from
the "Son of man." He knew a man named Simon would deny Him three times in His
greatest hour of need, but called Him anyway,
because loving grace would transform him into Peter the rock. He came to seek
and save that which was lost. And aren't we all
lost? Especially those of us with spiritual pride, who claim, "we see". (John
9:41)
What I find comforting, is that the Lord, has a calendar, not just for the nations, but for each of us. He knows your
comings and goings, your rising up, and sitting down. He has special surprises
planned for you, even still. Even after
disappointments, devastations, and life changing seasons. Have you failed
yourself? God will not fail you. Have you been lost in
unbearable anguish? God grieves with you. Perhaps you've been hardened in
religion, burned out and left empty, searching for that
early passion which seems so unreachable now. God has a new beginning on His
calendar for you.
God has a calendar for the nations, and for every individual including you. Are there any
unfulfilled promises? They are still there, waiting
activation, waiting pursuit, written on His calendar, and guarded by His
sovereignty. They remain with His gifts and callings that are
irrevocable. (Romans 11:29) You're days are carefully watched over,
you're never
far from His thoughts, and never removed out of His
plans. Pursue Him with renewed boldness and watch His calendar come alive with
your divine destiny, full of His grace and good
news for you and all those He's called you to touch.
