The Midnight Hour

We have all heard the phrase that timing is everything; I say that God’s timing is everything.

If we were to take a moment and think back over the course of our short lifetime, we would be amazed and convinced that God is a God of perfect timing.  He is never too early and He is never too late; even when He moves His hand at the midnight hour—He is implicitly on time.

Throughout the history of the Bible we are given example upon example of God’s perfect plan being revealed at the perfect time.  Noah spent years building an ark at a time when there was a drought in the land; at the perfect time the ark was complete and the rain began. 

Esther was a woman whom God gave both favor and position, not because of anything she had done, but because of who God had called her to be.  We see the perfect timing of God’s hand in Esther’s life when she was reminded by her cousin Mordecai, “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14b)

Our ultimate example, Jesus, was not only aware of His purpose on earth but He was also aware of God’s timing in all that He was called to do.  In the first of many miracles when Jesus’ mother informed Him that there was no more wine at the wedding He responded by saying, “Dear woman, why do you involve me?  My time has not yet come.” (Jn. 2:4)  However, as we travel further along in the Gospel of John to chapter 17, Jesus is aware that time has changed, “Jesus looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come.  Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.”

Paul brings things closer to home for us in the book of Romans when he boldly instructs us on how we are to live our lives, “The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.” (Romans 12:11&12)

It’s as if Paul is imploring us, “Do you not see, can you not understand—this is your time—wake up!

Right now is a time where God’s grace is evident upon the face of the earth.  His desire is that none should perish without first coming to know Him. Paul goes on to inform us in 2 Corinthians 6:2b, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

When Jesus’ time had come, He had a choice to make. He chose obedience. He “offered for all time one sacrifice for sins (His very life) and then He sat down at the right hand of God…because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Heb.10:12) 

Perhaps you are in a season of life where it appears that God has forgotten the promises He made to you.  Days have turned into months and months into years.  In the middle of the darkness sits the god of this world taunting you, whispering, “Give up on your dreams; God has turned His face from you.” 

God and His promises are unchanging. The night is almost over; the day is almost here.

Hold on tight—hold on even tighter if you are in the midnight hour -- God is never late in keeping His promises.




Stay the Course...

Sheila Cote