Right Time: The Next Door of Opportunity
A mysterious check arrives just when the bills are coming due; a friend seems to know just when to call to see if you’re alright; someone gets there just in time to offer the help you need …
As we journey through life, we seem to check the mailbox, answer the phone, or bump into strangers at just the right time to receive a bit of God’s goodness … just for us.
God always shows up at just the right time.
I think of my grandparents, who could never make ends meet on paper, yet managed to send all four of their children through twelve years of Christian education. Or my pastor, who arrived on the scene after a long, unsuccessful search.
Stories abound of God sending the right person to the right circumstance at the right time. This isn’t His first rodeo.
Sovereign God has been orchestrating details and governing affairs since the dawn of time—and long before! History is peppered with proof of His wisdom, power, and lovingkindness. As He accomplishes His predetermined plan, He faithfully makes provision for His own.
I never have to worry whether I will be taken care of, or fear for the future.
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
– Matthew 6:31-34
Even in my failing, God proves mighty.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
– 2 Corinthians 12:9
In wisdom and love, God supplies the precise measure necessary at the exact moment of need—not an ounce too little, nor a second too late.
So is the tale of Psalm 31. David, threatened by pursuing foes and appalled by widespread wickedness, amidst trouble and hardship, stakes his trust on God.
“But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!… Oh, how abundant is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You and worked for those who take refuge in You, in the sight of the children of mankind!”
– 14-15, 19
God shows up again and again in the cracks, crevices, and catastrophes of life.
God’s Provision: There’s one more time God was right on time.
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
– Romans 5:16
Word of the Week: Impeccable. Often used to describe God’s timing, which couldn’t be more perfect … every single time.
Abby
It’s the familiar swing on the porch as you pull into the drive, a homemade pie emerging from the oven, or that 70’s tune on a passing advertisement. A single sight, smell, or sound has the unique ability to bring you back to the time, place, and moment of your memory.
Peter was a man of many memories. He grew up Jewish, hearing the stories and celebrating the traditions of God’s chosen people, the Israelites. His fishing profession generated countless tales of long nights and damaged nets. He would have collected a lifetime of memories with his wife and family as well.
And then he met Jesus.
I’m sure his memories of the Messiah were most vivid: the day his brother Andrew invited him (John 1:40-42), the moment Jesus called him (Mark 1:16-18), the time the Lord healed his mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39).
He witnessed the miracle at the wedding (John 2:1-11), the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21), the raising of the deceased Lazarus (John 11:1-44). Simon Peter walked on water (Matthew 14:22-33), beheld Christ transfigured (17:1-8), and watched the dead come back to life (Mark 5:35-43).
Peter sat at the feet of Jesus’ teaching, followed His footsteps around the region, and declared his loyalty to the end of time.
And then denied his Master three times on the night when it mattered most.
Peter vowed allegiance, then fled at the first sight of danger. He shadowed at a distance, then faltered when questioned. He stood warming himself by a charcoal fire, a stone’s throw away from his Lord, yet so far.
Scripture records in detail Peter’s greatest failure (very possibly his worst memory).
Christ is crucified and buried. Peter is left to grieve every opportunity he missed, misstep he took, and transgression he committed.
Jesus is raised, but Peter is still lost. He decides to go fishing, and the rest join, catching nothing all night (John 21:1-3).
Morning dawns, and Jesus appears on shore, calling to them to cast their net on the other side of the boat. They heap in the catch and sit down for breakfast … around a charcoal fire (4-12).
Again around the fire, again with his Lord, Peter must have been brought back. Jesus questions him the same amount of times he previously denied Him. “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Exasperated, Peter concedes, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love you” (15-17).
God’s Provision: Jesus knew Peter’s heart, that despite his frailness, humanness, and weakness, he was a willing servant who loved his Master. He forgave his sin, restored him to service, and continued to use him.
Peter’s story is also mine: falling short when I should be stepping up, sinning when I wish not to, buckling under pressure when it matters most. But like Peter, I appeal to the Savior in every charcoal fire moment and memory:
Word (Phrase) of the Week: You knew me then. You know me now. You know that I love you.
Abby
When your mind is set on what you want, you do what’s necessary to get it. As a child, you may have stowed away your allowance money for that fancy new bicycle or popular toy. These days, you save up for a car, house, or vacation. Depending on how serious or desperate you are, you may limit spending, host a garage sale, or pick up a side job to help.
We don’t mind sacrificing when we know the value of the reward. After all, it’s not so painful to part with hard-earned savings for that purchase we’ve been wanting and waiting for!
Jesus tells a story like this to demonstrate the precious fortune of the Kingdom of God.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
– Matthew 13:45-46
Could you imagine?! You’re a vendor by trade (or maybe just into antiquing), on the lookout for items of significant worth. One day you stumble across this pearl of great price—eye-catching enough to convince you to sell your life accumulations in order to obtain that possession. How valuable that pearl must be!
Another of Jesus’ parables illustrates the same.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
– 44
Membership in God’s family and inheritance in His Kingdom are prizes beyond explanation or compare. Nothing on this earth or in this universe can compete with the excellence and wisdom of such a treasure.
More than gold and silver, cars and houses, fame and fortune, are the saving knowledge of the love of Christ and the eternal security of faith in God.
“ … [have] the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places …”
– Ephesians 1:18-20
God’s Provision: It was Jesus who paid the great price for us to enter in.
Through His death on the cross as atonement for our sins, the Son of God paid the great price in order to give us the great prize.
“You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
– 1 Peter 1:18-19
He Himself is our trophy (Philippians 3:14).
Word of the Week: Sold out. 100% committed, devoted, invested, and engaged in, with, and for Jesus Christ.
Abby
A sign greets you as you pull into the drive and wonder what you’re in for: “Beware of Dog.” The warning has an ominous feel whether or not you hear barking. Immediately you become more aware, on the lookout.
Being on guard involves cautiousness and alertness, causing us to pay more attention to our surroundings … just in case. Ironically, Jesus uses the same word to warn against evil and necessitate wise living.
First, He says, “Beware of the scribes,” whose practices dishonor God and merit “the greater condemnation” (Mark 12:38-40).
Not long after, He continues, “See that no one leads you astray” when the end draws near. “Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray … But be on your guard” (13:5-6, 9).
In a rich passage of teaching, Jesus explains the critical importance of keeping our eyes open while navigating this wicked-infected world until His coming. My Bible’s study notes indicate Greek origins meaning “to see or watch”—translated “beware,” “see that,” and “be on your guard” throughout these chapters.
God’s Provision: We can do so because Jesus has “told [us] all things beforehand” (23). We know what to expect from the enemy.
The call is to stay awake for Christ’s return.
“Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
– 32-37
Scripture’s urgency is convicting. I should daily become more diligent, mindful, and Spirit-led, hastening the Day!
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
– 1 Corinthians 16:13
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
– 1 Peter 5:8
“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.”
– 2 John 1:7-8
Word of the Week: Sobriety. Clear-headedness and seriousness in anticipation of Jesus the Just.
“You yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape … So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:3-4, 6
Abby
Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? I’m not talking about not fitting in … I mean being part of something that feels too good to be true.
To be honest, I feel like that every single day of my life. My family, church congregation, and workplace are precious communities that welcome, nurture, and edify me. I am often overwhelmed with kindness, encouragement, and truth that I know I don’t deserve.
Someone once informed me about the imposter syndrome, characterized by doubting competency and feeling phony. We feel like we’re fooling others into thinking we’re better than we actually are … But that itself is also a masqueraded trick.
An honest self-evaluation reveals my weakness, brokenness, and sinfulness. I am so sure I’m one mistake or misstep away from being disowned, kicked out, or let go.
The devil is devious with his twisted lies. God, on the other hand, is Truth.
Frankly, I am weak, broken, and sinful. I’ve made plenty of mistakes and will continue to. I don’t deserve to be where I am.
But the grace of God surmounts all of that.
“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy.”
– Titus 3:3-5
God is the source of every good thing (James 1:17). He initiates, multiplies, and determines everything that ever exists … and chooses those who belong to Him.
There are no imposters in the family of God.
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”
– Ephesians 2:19
We are personally invited.
“Those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom he justified He also glorified.”
– Romans 8:30
God’s Provision: God repeatedly displays His power in commissioning and accompanying His saints. As He did with Moses and Jeremiah, so He does with us.
“Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”
– Exodus 4:11-12
“But the LORD said to me, ‘… all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak… Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.’”
– Jeremiah 1:7, 9
Our God is in the habit of calling feeble folks and using uneducated underdogs. If He is drawn to weak, broken, unqualified people, then by that standard, I’d say I am well qualified!
Word of the Week: Unparalleled. There are hardly words to describe God’s work. There is truly nothing like belonging to Him!
Abby
The rate at which infants mature is astonishing. From the womb, they grow larger and develop further by the day! Growth is magnified after birth in the early weeks and months of life, accelerating by the year!
It’s evident: we are meant to grow. And not just physically.
Scripture likens the miracle of salvation to the miracle of birth. Jesus insists that “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Thankfully, He isn’t suggesting we “enter a second time into [our] mother’s womb and be born,” but instead be “born of water and the Spirit,” since “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (4-6).
To belong to God, we must die to our carnal nature and be resurrected into His divine one.
“We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life … So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
– Romans 6:4, 11
When we renounce ourselves and our sins, we become new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), considered babes in faith (1 Corinthians 3:1). Paul fed such believers “with milk, not solid food, for [they] were not ready for it” (2).
Like our own infancy, we begin the Christian life with basic nutrients: truths found in the Word of God. We’re sustained by increasing measures of teaching until introduced to deeper mysteries. We start to crave that solid diet for nourishment and pleasure.
Peter uses the same language.
“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
– 1 Peter 2:2-3
John delineates these stages of growth:
“I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven for His name’s sake.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know Him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.”
– 1 John 2:12-14
Proper development unfolds by the Holy Spirit when we faithfully feed ourselves Scripture.
God’s Provision: God’s Word is the sanctifying tool sculpting our lives (John 17:17). Those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness … shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6).
Word of the Week: Sufficient. Scripture contains everything needed for “life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3) and is “profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Abby
One of my favorite theologians is Charles Spurgeon. Of all his intellectual observations and spiritual insights, one lighthearted yet profound statement taps my conscience.
“Learn to say no. It will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin.”
While the reference might be outdated for today’s context, the concept is not. Saying no is more useful than cooking on the grill or knowing five languages or having a driver’s license.
That’s because I’m one person and I can only be in one place at a time. It’s also necessary because I’m called to serve God above man.
When speaking of oaths in Matthew 5, Jesus taught, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil” (37). This simply tells me there is a time and place to say no in a godly way.
Of course we say no to temptation and trespass.
“Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. For the LORD loves justice; He will not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.”
– Psalm 37:27-29
“Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”
– Romans 12:9
Nevertheless, within the realm of righteousness there are countless opportunities to do good and pursue godliness. We can please God in hundreds, if not thousands, of ways. And we certainly can’t do so in all the ways, although some of us might try.
The typical result is “burning the candle at both ends,” as my father has repeatedly warned. Saying yes to everything all the time wears me out and makes me less useful.
Something’s got to give.
All my life, I’ve wrestled with that one little word. “No” to me meant missing out, letting down, falling short.
I didn’t understand that saying no is actually saying yes. Because saying no to one thing is saying yes to something else. Being selective about my yes’s gives me the capacity to be fully invested. When I don’t say no, I quickly get stretched too thin.
So I’m starting with little no’s because the big ones tear me up too much. When I don’t have a choice, the Lord helps me find peace in His purpose and placement for me.
I find great solace in the fact that Jesus also said no. He denied the religious leaders a sign, redirected a man who begged to come with him, and refused to come down from the cross. But He always said yes to His Father God.
And I too can be content to “live quietly, mind [my] own affairs, and work with [my] hands” (1 Thessalonians 4:11)—the unpretentious, uncluttered life of a servant who desires to be faithful.
God’s Provision: God alone can multiply the work of my hands for His glory.
Word of the Week: No. Pretty self-explanatory, I guess!
Abby
They come in the package with the purchased item, slid along the edge or crinkled at the bottom. Some are one sheet, others a booklet.
Instructions are written as guides … which usually prove more confusing and scarcely decipherable, enough to make you throw your hands and exclaim, “This is no help whatsoever!” I sometimes wonder why instructions are included at all.
And then I realize I’m in the same predicament. My sinful flesh serves no purpose—except to destroy me.
Jesus says in John 6:63,
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
My Savior came to liberate me from the evil to which I was subject. Now my previous life no longer has a place in the new.
“We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”
– Romans 6:6
Ephesians 4:17-24 explains it in more detail.
“You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
I cannot consult the flesh and expect godly inclination. All I will get is selfish, sensual compulsion that opposes the Lord. The contrast is stark.
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” … “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
– John 3:6, Romans 8:5-8
God’s Provision: But the Father doesn’t leave a searching soul unanswered. He delightfully instills truth and teaches wisdom (Psalm 51:6).
Word of the Week: Renewal. Hope is found in transformation via “the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
Abby
Many of us are happy to help those we love. We wipe counters, wash cars, cook meals. But how often do we consider throwing ourselves under the bus on behalf of somebody else?
Volunteering to take the heat for something I didn’t do isn’t exactly an appealing invitation. Why then did God’s only Son willingly do just that for depraved sinners?
As Romans 5:7-8 points out,
“One will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
To do something for another is a gracious act. To do something in place of another is an act of grace.
“For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins.”
– Romans 3:22-25
Christ did nothing to deserve the wrath He endured. It was for my sins, and yours, that He suffered.
“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:21
And so it was, as Isaiah prophesied:
“They made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth … He poured out His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; He bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”
– 53:9, 12
Devastating, yet necessary, was His sacrifice for us.
“He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
– 5-6
He died for our sake, that we may live for His.
“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that One has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Ultimately, this life-altering, earth-shattering display of love is “for the praise of His glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:6), which He receives unendingly for all eternity.
God’s Provision: Jesus, Anointed Christ and Messiah Savior! The only name under heaven among men by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12).
Word of the Week: Substitution. The only way to placate God’s wrath and restore us to holiness. Christ in our place.
Abby
We called him the Ransom Bunny. Every year, my grandparents hosted Easter, sending the grandkids on an extravagant hunt for plastic eggs filled with candy and coins, wedged into tree branches and stuffed beneath flowers around the yard. That year also featured the softest, cutest stuffed bunnies one could buy.
I couldn’t have been more than four or five years old, enough to make a tragedy out of the fact that I neglected to take my bunny home with me when we left. My clever uncle took it instead and offered it up as ransom, in exchange for my Easter candy. The joke was published in our family newsletter, forever printed in history.
I have no memory of what happened to that bunny … But I know another ransom story that also took place on Easter.
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.”
– Titus 2:11-14
Galatians says God sent His Son “when the fullness of time had come … to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (4:4-5).
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
– Romans 5:6
In Jesus’ own words,
“Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
– Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45
A price has been paid, an exchange made.
“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:21
Christ purchased sinners, who had sold themselves as slaves to sin, back to God.
“ … you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
– 1 Peter 1:18-19
And so, eternity will sing of the Savior’s majesty!
“Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
– Revelation 5:9-10
“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”
– 1 Timothy 2:5-6
God’s Provision: The Lamb of God Himself!
Abby
