Few things can be more frustrating than canceled plans. Whether you're going to the movies with friends, planning a party, or simply intending to spend the weekend relaxing, the feeling caused by having your plans canceled is irritation. Of course, there are exceptions. Sometimes we have plans we're happy to change, such as when we reschedule a dentist appointment or cancel that seven hour business trip away from home. At any rate, there are things that can't be controlled that sometimes impact our plans. It may be tempting sometimes to think the same principle applies to God. However, that doesn't fit the picture.
If you've read through even parts of the prophetic books of the Old Testament you know that God spends a lot of time talking to a rebellious people. However, in spite of His repeated attempts to get them to repent, they often didn't seem to take His warnings very seriously. One reason, evidently, was that they thought God had canceled His plans. Ezekiel 12 shows God's response to Israel's complacent belief in His inactivity. As Ezekiel writes:
"And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’? Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.”’ But say to them, ‘“The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision. For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it,” says the Lord God.’” (Ezekiel 12:21-25)
The problem was twofold- the people thought God was either slack in execution of or just plain cancelling His plans, and false prophecy was circulating on a large scale. God may have delayed His judgment, but that was an act of mercy, not inconsistency. People who don't see God at work may think He's not doing anything or that He doesn't care. Israel didn't take God seriously because His pronounced judgment didn't come immediately. However, when you think about it, that's flawed thinking, comparable to saying that because my employer keeps rescheduling my business trip it will never happen.
Of course, judgment isn't the only thing God is second-guessed about. There are other things that people seem to think God's not being active about. Take the Second Coming of Christ, for example. We don't see it. It's been predicted in Scripture, but every date set for it so far has been bogus. Why? Well, to begin with, the Bible never gave a date. Those who believed they had the date were wrong to begin with for pretending they knew, since as Jesus put it, only God the Father knows when Jesus will return (Matthew 24:32-44). Also, God does things on His own time. Peter reminds us to keep waiting for Jesus' return in spite of an apparent delay. He says:
"Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:1-9 NKJV)
If God seems to be delaying, it's because He has His own perfect timing and wants to give people time to know Who He is. His plans aren't cancelled. He isn't senile. He just knows what He's doing, while in all reality, we don't.
So what's the big point? First, God is faithful. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. What He says will happen on His own time. You simply keep following Him and believe what He says regardless of the world's opinions. Second, God will keep His word. The promises He's spoken over you are as solid as gold and thousands of billions of times stronger. The only Person Who won't change His plans on you is God. He's perfect, unchangeable, and wise, and He knows what He's planned for you. That's why you can have childlike faith in an adult's world.
If you've read through even parts of the prophetic books of the Old Testament you know that God spends a lot of time talking to a rebellious people. However, in spite of His repeated attempts to get them to repent, they often didn't seem to take His warnings very seriously. One reason, evidently, was that they thought God had canceled His plans. Ezekiel 12 shows God's response to Israel's complacent belief in His inactivity. As Ezekiel writes:
"And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’? Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.”’ But say to them, ‘“The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision. For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it,” says the Lord God.’” (Ezekiel 12:21-25)
The problem was twofold- the people thought God was either slack in execution of or just plain cancelling His plans, and false prophecy was circulating on a large scale. God may have delayed His judgment, but that was an act of mercy, not inconsistency. People who don't see God at work may think He's not doing anything or that He doesn't care. Israel didn't take God seriously because His pronounced judgment didn't come immediately. However, when you think about it, that's flawed thinking, comparable to saying that because my employer keeps rescheduling my business trip it will never happen.
Of course, judgment isn't the only thing God is second-guessed about. There are other things that people seem to think God's not being active about. Take the Second Coming of Christ, for example. We don't see it. It's been predicted in Scripture, but every date set for it so far has been bogus. Why? Well, to begin with, the Bible never gave a date. Those who believed they had the date were wrong to begin with for pretending they knew, since as Jesus put it, only God the Father knows when Jesus will return (Matthew 24:32-44). Also, God does things on His own time. Peter reminds us to keep waiting for Jesus' return in spite of an apparent delay. He says:
"Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:1-9 NKJV)
If God seems to be delaying, it's because He has His own perfect timing and wants to give people time to know Who He is. His plans aren't cancelled. He isn't senile. He just knows what He's doing, while in all reality, we don't.
So what's the big point? First, God is faithful. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. What He says will happen on His own time. You simply keep following Him and believe what He says regardless of the world's opinions. Second, God will keep His word. The promises He's spoken over you are as solid as gold and thousands of billions of times stronger. The only Person Who won't change His plans on you is God. He's perfect, unchangeable, and wise, and He knows what He's planned for you. That's why you can have childlike faith in an adult's world.
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