It's All in the Timing

A Long Time- to fulfill God's plans
1 Kings 5:1-6:38

"The Temple was finished during the eleventh year he was king, in the eighth month, the month of Bul. It was built exactly as it was planned. Solomon had spent over seven years building it." (1 Kings 6:38)

Wow... what a work project. That makes most of our construction projects seem speedy. (Of course nowadays we have the luxury of different mechanical helps.) But just think about anything you've dedicated 7 years to working on: whether it was middle/high school, a graduate degree, a job, a marraige, a child, paying for a home... didn't it feel good when it was 'built exactly as planned' or at least turned out as well as you could've imagined? For me there are few things that I've devoted 7 years to. I suppose I could count the Spring-Ford school system and trying to follow God's will in serving Him with all my being... by teaching, volunteering, now trying to do whatever I can and praying that He lead me in the paths where I should go. I can't help but admire Solomon's persistence and constant devotion in loving God so much thta he would spend over seven years to build His temple. Lord, my contribution will not be building a temple for you but building up Your kingdom... I pray that You continue to guide me in where I should go to serve You and Your people not for 7 but for 7x70 years.

Now's the Time- to stop a quarrel
Proverbs 17:13-15

"Starting a quarrel is like a leak in a dam, so stop it before a fight breaks out." (Proverbs 17:14)

In Spanish, there's a saying, "de una vez." Literally, it means "of one time." Figuratively, it would be translated as something like, "how about now?" or "let's do it right away"- sort of suggesting that idea of "why not now?" This is especially true for disagreements and misunderstandings. On this, I agree wholeheartedly. In fact, sometimes I do this to a fault... I think about a misunderstanding and cannot move forward until I've asked someone about it- hey, what happened there? Can you explain what you meant when...? I've noticed you're a bit ___, any reason? But, luckily my friends and family have learned to expect this from me, and I have to say that it usually proves to be beneficial... it stops me from bottling up those emotions for an explosion in a fight and helps me to understand people more. For, I'm sure that most quarrels are really that- just misunderstandings. That's why God tells us not to let the sun go down on our anger. Lord, please help me always help me to stop quarreling "de una vez" before it starts, because if not... that leak just keeps on leaking.

All the Time- to believe in Jesus
John 10:22-42

"Some people gathered around him and said, 'How long will you make us wonder about you? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.' Jesus answered, 'I told you already, but you did not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name show who I am. But you don't believe, because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never die, and no one can steal them out of my hand." (John 10:24-28)

Funny how people just didn't get it. Jesus stopped answering questions that he'd already answered and questions asked just to trap him. Later on it says "'again' some people picked up stones to kill Jesus" (31), so this suggests that perhaps they had stones in their hands while asking him this question. And these 'askers' weren't genuinely interested in considering or discerning the truth. People with open hearts who had heard the Word were already sheep, already believed the miracles done in the Father's name. Lord, we want to be Your sheep all the time... to listen to Your voice, to follow You... I rest in the knowledge that You are my Father and protector and no one can steal me out of Your hand- You are with me all the time and I seek to live in You all the time.