You’ve Got Time

The Bible is chock full of examples of God’s perfect timing. One of my favorite moments is when Esther hosted her husband, the king, and wicked Hamaan for a dinner party. For some reason she did not tell the king of Hamaan’s evil plot to kill her people. It seemed she missed a golden opportunity to plead her cause. Instead, she requested they both come to a second dinner. In between these two events, Hamaan decided to build tall gallows on which to hang Mordecai and thereby make an example of him to everyone as well as displaying his Alpha status. When the plot was revealed, Hamaan had nothing to say as the gallows said it all.

Of course, earlier on in the same story, this same Hamaan went to the king for permission to kill Mordecai. In God’s economy, the king was having trouble sleeping that night and upon hearing the Meda Persian history read to him, he was reminded that he never rewarded Mordecai for revealing a plot that probably saved the king from assassination. It was at this precise moment that Hamaan entered. His plan was turned on its head when the king instructed him to honor Mordecai. Only God!

When Pharaoh’s army followed the fleeing Hebrews into the Red Sea, there seemed little hope for the stragglers to make it through to the other side. However, the sea bed began to turn back into mud and the chariots bogged down. In a matter of minutes, the hunter became the hunted as the sea crashed down upon them. What seemed to be the making of a total disaster became a historic victory.

Many of us can recount examples of moments when we were sure we knew what God was going to do only to see Him do something totally different. We might have been initially disappointed with God’s way and timing but discovered later that God had something so much better in mind.

The same is true in homeschooling. We grieve when things don’t work out for our children like we thought it would. Everything seemed to be so right, and all of the sudden the wheels fall off. It can also be so frustrating when our schedules and expectations hit an unexpected interruption and the entire day seems to fall apart. It’s usually nobody’s fault. Life just happens.

It’s in these unnerving moments—or sometimes days, weeks, months, or even years as in the case of Joseph—it is easy to forget that God reigns over everything, including time. Take a moment to digest this last statement. God is Lord over time. Time serves Him and His purposes. Every second bows to His sovereignty. As a matter of fact, He is so powerful that He goes in and out of time and space at His own leisure. This supernatural thought defies even the sci-fi fans among us.

As 2026 begins, we need to crown the Lord as King over Time in our daily lives. He has the right to move how and when He wishes. Even when we don’t understand His timing, we do know that He describes Himself as being good, so we can trust Him. Think back in your life when you thought you were ready for that next step, but God knew better. Perhaps a year or two passes, then you can see the big pictures. Share these times with your children. Teach them to walk by faith in the midst of disappointments. Do not get rattled when you suffer perceived setbacks as these are often the foundations off which God builds beautiful moments.

To help remind you of God’s glory over time, we are going to pray for some timely requests. May God emblazon these requests upon our hearts and the hearts of our children.

1. May God help us to understand the ramifications of His power over all things regarding time.
   1. to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.—Jude 1:25
   2. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,—Gal. 4:4
2. Pray that we and our children will not only accept the inevitability of God’s timing but fully embrace His timing as perfect, by faith.
   1. This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.—2 Samuel 22:31
   2. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: —Ecc. 3:1
3. Pray that God will reveal to us numerous examples of His timing in the Bible, in nature, and in our personal lives in order to encourage both us and our children.
   1. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.–1 Cor. 10:11
4. Pray that God will give us both increased faith and especially patience in waiting for His timing.
   1. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.—Psalms 34:5
   2. Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.—Psalms 37:34
5. Pray that our children will trust God’s timing in bringing them along with a spouse who is not just equally-yoked but also like-minded.
   1. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!–Psalms 27:14
   2. “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.—Psalms 39:7
6. Continue to pray that God will discourage legislators or any other players to bring up any adverse legislation in 2026. If any would, pray their efforts would quickly end in confusion and disgrace.
   1. When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. –Neh. 4:15