Have you ever gotten a phone call at just the wrong time? Maybe just as you're sitting down to dinner, or just as your leaving the house? Growing up in my home these calls always came from telemarketers. You know people trying to sell us new windows, or offer us a deal too great to be turned down! Now, as an adult, I still receive these calls, but often they are not from people trying to sell me something, but rather they are from people who need something from me.
One such call came a few years ago, just as my wife and I were planning on heading out for a romantic dinner. The person on the other end of the line was a young man in need of food. This particular young man had a pregnant girlfriend and two young children living with him, and the family had no transportation, no money, and no food. Despite the call coming at a bad time, and even though I wasn't really sure what (if anything) I was supposed to do, my wife, our infant daughter, and I got into our car and went to the grocery store. We bought roughly $50 worth of groceries, and headed out into the middle of nowhere to deliver this food to the young man and his family.
The whole way there we were still unsure if this was the right decision, but upon reaching the home and delivering the food we were convinced we had made the right choice. The house was a wreck, the children were poorly dressed, and the young man and his girlfriend were obviously uncomfortable with the whole situation. The need was clear, and the looks, words, and tears that followed showed the gratitude was sincere. It's hard to explain, but in that moment, as we were bringing groceries to a family that welcomed them like the best Christmas or Birthday presents ever, I knew that God was truly using us to offer some small portion of grace to this family!
The above story is one of bad timing, uncertainty and God's grace shining through it all. A similar story of poor timing and grace is told in John 2:1-11 (better known as the Miracle of Water to Wine or The Wedding at Cana). In John 2:1-11 we are told that Jesus, his mother, and his followers are attending a wedding in Cana. During the wedding celebration the wine runs out, and Jesus' mother comes to him with the problem. Jesus' response is at best a mild protest, and at worste potentially disrespectful. Basically he tells her it isn't really their problem, and that it's a bad time for him. Interestingly Jesus' mother doesn't argue or complain, but rather turns to the servants at the wedding and tells them to do whatever Jesus tells them to do!
Jesus just gets done telling his mother that it's not his problem and that it's a bad time for him, and yet she replies by telling others to do whatever he tells them to do. She is completely unfazed by his reply, and instead makes room for Jesus to address the situation however he sees fit. Of course the story continues and Jesus has the servants fill up 6 large stone jars with water, and then he turns the water into wine (thus his first miracle). But I would like to spend a moment or two longer on Jesus' statement about bad timing and his mother's response to that statement.
It is true that time is precious, and that many of us wish we had more of it, but time is also all about priorities and making time for what's really important. Jesus points out that it's a bad time, and yet his mother allows him the space to provide none-the-less. The same should be the case in our lives. Often we feel like we don't have time for God, or that there's never really a good time for God. The truth of the matter is that sometimes we need God in our lives precisely during those "bad" times. Sometimes we need to stop what we're doing and ask God to get involved when we feel like we have no time or when we feel too busy to breathe!
It might just be possible that you miss out on being profoundly blessed by God (in one way or another) because your schedule is too full to fit God into it. So the question really shouldn't be "is this a good time" but rather "how can I make time." Make time for God, and you'll be amazed at how God responds!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor John
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