Wednesday, September 4, 2019

When, God, when?

"0-60...Eventually." I actually saw that on the back of a car in front of me at a stop sign. And I laughed out loud. I know that 0-60 speed is a thing with cars--and car buyers. The smaller the number, the better the car's performance. But this car was making no promises - at least not promises meant to impress. "I'll get where I'm going eventually," it seemed to say. And as a subtext: "So if you're behind me, don't be in a rush."

I don't see too much enthusiasm for "eventually" anymore. Hardly anyone gets excited about "one day", and the fact is, neither do I. If I want something, I want it sooner, not later. If I long for a thing, I don't delight in waiting for it indefinitely. "In a little while" doesn't seem much better to me than "someday." Vagaries don't cut it for me... for most of us. We want to know when.

Through the years, however, I've come to know God doesn't always share my sense of urgency. And as far as I can tell, His promises to me do not come with a guaranteed delivery date or even a virtual tracking number to track their progress. (Don't you wish they did!) But with Him, "eventually" is implicitly certain. If He says a thing will happen, it absolutely will. "He is never late," a friend of mine used to say, "but He has certainly missed a number of opportunities to be early." Time to Him is not like time to us. He has all of eternity to make it all come out all right. And He will. Eventually.

Eventually, the lion will lie down with the lamb.
Eventually, there will be no more pain or tears.
Eventually, sickness and death will hardly be a memory.
Eventually, those who follow Him to the end will hear Him say "Well done."
Eventually, we will see Him face to face.

You and I will survive our "eventually" ... and be satisfied in Him forever.

"So, dear friends, don't let this one thing escape your notice: a single day counts like a thousand years to the Lord Yahweh, and a thousand years counts as one day. This means that, contrary to man's perspective, the Lord is not late with his promise to return, as some measure lateness. But rather, his "delay" simply reveals his loving patience toward you, because he does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9 TPT

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