We all have friends or family members who are always late. It doesn’t matter how early you tell them to be there…they are going to be late. It doesn’t matter how important the event is…they are going to be late. Sometimes it feel like God is slow. It feels like He is not going to show up, but He is never late.
Abram’s Counsel to Sarai, c. 1896-1902, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot
God waited 75 year to send Abraham on his special mission. God waited until Abraham was 75 years old to let him know that he was going to be the father of a great nation. The only problem was that Abraham did not have any children, but Abraham believed God.
After about 12 years, Abraham still did not have any children, and his wife, Sarah, was getting a little antsy. She felt like God was not fulfilling His promise fast enough. So Sarah came up with a plan to help Him along. She convinced Abraham to have his child through one fo their servants, Hagar. This plan worked, but it was not God’s plan. The child proved to be problem for years and generations to come. So Abraham and Sarah had to continue to wait for God to fulfill his promise.
Finally, when Abraham was 99, God showed up again to fulfill His promise. Abraham waited for almost 25 years. Both Abraham and Sarah laughed at the thought of having a child now, after all this time, but God fulfilled His promise. When it seemed impossible, when it seemed to be too late…God showed up.
Many of us are waiting for God to do something in our lives. We feel like God is taking too long and we try to take care of it ourselves. We must remember that God is never late, His timing is perfect and He will keep his promises. Read the story of Abraham in the 3-Hour Bible to find out how Abraham and Sarah made it through the wait.
Mike J Thomas 