God’s Timing: Always Perfect

In Matt. 9:18-26 we see God dealing with people’s imperfect faith as He displays His power in His perfect time. On the heels of showing that Jesus initiates true change and inspires genuine devotion comes a man whose daughter had died – as well as a woman struggling with an ongoing health issue. Jesus teaches them that His timing and power are perfect. There is a time for everything under heaven.

While Jesus is interacting with John’s disciples a man (Jairus according to Mark 5:22 and Luke 8:41) comes to Jesus. He was a ruler of the synagogue, the highest ranking religious official in Capernaum; a pillar of Jewish orthodoxy, living among those who hated Jesus and wished to see Him gone. Desperation drove him to Jesus. He knelt before Jesus, showing honor and respect. He didn’t care what his neighbors, family or friends thought. Told Jesus his daughter had died and to “come, lay your hand on her and she will live.” God was been working on his heart. He is convinced Jesus is able to do what he asks. Jesus follows him but while they are on the way to Jairus’ house they get intercepted by a woman who had been sick for 12 years with chronic illness; who’d spent every penny she had on doctors that made her worse. Considered unclean, she was excluded from normal social and religious life. Like a death sentence with no end in sight except maybe the relief of death. Like Job. But this was not an immediate need, her life was not in danger. It could have waited. On the surface, getting to Jairus’ daughter seemed the more urgent need. She cut in line! Seen as a nuisance, an unworthy obstacle to everyone but Jesus. With God interruptions are opportunities.

This woman had faith, but it seems she was a bit superstitious. She said “If only I touch the fringe of His clothes, I will be made well.” Attached to the 4 corners of the garment worn by Jewish men were tassels with a blue cord; Touching My clothes, Jesus says, won’t heal you. But faith in Me will! God uses whatever faith you’ve got. Interesting He called attention to her; marking her out for a purpose; showing her just how special she was as one of His creations. He refers to her by the tender name daughter, a significant term of fatherly care for one as young as Jesus. In contrast to Pharisees who put arbitrary labels on people; put them in artificial categories; Jesus deals with individual needs and faith. He cares about you. All who turn to Him in faith are welcome.

Then we have a child, also unnamed. In her we see the dead raised and despair replaced by hope. Flute players & noisy crowd signify that the funeral was about to start. One rabbi said even the poorest in Israel should hire at least 2 flutes and 1 wailing woman. Jesus tells them the girl is not dead and they laugh at Him. What we think does not define reality. God knows what He will do. He was about to show His authority was not only over all of life, but over death as well. Mark tells us 5 witnesses were with Him: Peter, James, John and her parents. Jesus took her by hand and raised her from the dead. Touching a corpse was off limits, you’d become unclean for a week Num. 19:11-21, Jesus brings the girl to life transforming uncleanness to purity. Jesus’ authority as Christ extended beyond life. He had authority over death and life.

We can learn something about Living on God’s Timetable. In light of Matt. 6:19-21, “do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven”, our response to God’ Timetable ought to be marked by 5 interrelated things:

1st, Surrender, which says to God Take everything “Take full possession” All I am & have & hope to be is Yours. It’s what Jairus did when he bowed down to Jesus & what the crowd did not do when they mocked Him. James 4:7 Submit yourselves to (align yourself under) God. To surrender is to yield ownership, relinquish control over what we think is ours: property, time, position, people. What we have belongs to Him. He is the giver of all good things.

2nd, Trust. Trust God over yourself. Prov. 3:5-6 Trust says “I am in your hands.” Say you feel God has abandoned you. Is it true? Does He abandon His own? The feeling does not reflect fact. Facts override feelings. Matt. 28:20 and Heb. 13:5 testify to that!

3rd, Obedience. We are called to Obey. We can all think of times we acted impulsively and lived to regret it. Maybe it was an unwise or ill-advised purchase; or a business deal that went south; or a relationship that went sour; a decision of some kind that you had no peace about but dove into anyway. We’ve all been there. We run ahead of what God wants us to do and pay the consequences. Obedience says to God “I will do what you say.” Jesus said John 15:14 “you are My friends if you do what I command you.” Keep doing what you know God wants you to do. Keep being faithful in the little things.

4th, Rest. Not thinking our obedience earns us the outcome we desire, but willingly saying “I’ll accept your verdict.” Resist the temptation to pull strings. Ps. 37:7 be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Reject defeatism which says “I cannot see the answer or the way out so all is lost.” There is no hope”. Reject sensationalism which says “If such and such doesn’t happen then God is not at work”. Reject superstition which says “If I don’t do such and such God won’t come through and bless.” If you think a formula must be followed in order for things to happen you are being superstitious. Anything we think we must do in a specific way every time in order for God to work.

5th, Endure. Persevere. Live in light of eternity because “Heaven awaits.” James 5:11 we count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and merciful. Maybe you have been waiting 12 years for answer to your prayers. There is no guarantee things will change. But you will change. God is using the pain to perfect you. Relief might not come this side of heaven, but one day, no more tears, pain, sickness, or death.

God knows the beginning from the end. He has a good purpose in everything He allows: the missed promotion, the lost job, the unjust accusation; the honest mistake that cost you, the unfair treatment that held you back. Jesus says, "Courage, all these things go through Me first." Our times are in His hands (Ps. 31:15). God is sovereign over time and timing. Everything God allows is perfectly timed for our good and His glory.

Soli Deo Gloria