When my parents came to visit for Thanksgiving, they brought with them a waxed amaryllis bulb. Every morning over their two week stay we’d check the bulb, strategically placed by the window on my kitchen counter. After a week with no signs of change my mom began to wonder if the bud was a dud. But the day before they returned home, the green leaves showed a small change by spreading ever so slightly. My parents journeyed home with the hope that a vibrant blossom was soon forthcoming. Four days later, this is how the beauty looks. This reminds me of the importance of timing. Galatians 4:4 says that at the right time God sent His Son, Jesus into the world to free us from our sins and to make us His daughters and sons. “At the right time” or some Bible translations read, “In the fullness of time.” God’s timing is often not on our schedule, but it’s always perfect. He sees the beginning and the end and orchestrates His time accordingly. Perhaps like me you’ve been waiting years to receive an answer to certain prayers. Maybe you’re waiting for a wayward child to return home or restoration of a relationship with a family member or friend. Or maybe you’re asking God for direction but your prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling. Whether it’s a spiritual need, a relational need, or a financial/material need, we can be assured that God hears our prayers. He will answer. But like this bulb blossomed in its time, we need to remember that Our Heavenly Father answers prayer according to the right time determined by Him.
Lord, this holiday season is a time when we quiet our hearts and reflect on You coming at the right time as Immanuel, God with us. Help my heart trust that Your time is perfect, even when the seasons of waiting seem never ending. I wait on You to bring blooms of beauty from the broken, restless places in my heart. Amen. ❤️

Comments