John 7:30 "Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come."
Timing! It's all in the timing. How many times have you heard that
concerning so many different matters of life. Yes, timing is very important,
but it must be discerned as to whose timing is under consideration. The nature
of humanity is that we want what we want when we want it. But the truth remains
that God is not on our time schedule. And patience is definitely not a virtue
that we have when we are born. I'm afraid that many blessings have been missed
because we tend to give up before "the time is right." I know I have
been guilty of this many times. I write concerning timing because of the phrase
at the conclusion of our text: "because his hour was not yet come."
We will see that phrase, or something similar, again as we travel through this
book of John.
Jesus has had this conversation with the Pharisees because of a miracle which
He performed on the sabbath. Some time had passed since Jesus cured the
man who was beside the pool of Bethesda; yet, the people still were trying to
accuse Him of breaking the sabbath. Since the time of this healing, many people
had followed Jesus. He had fed the multitude with the five loaves and two small
fishes. His following was growing and the Pharisees did not like it at all.
They even accused Him of having a devil as He went about doing the work of the
Lord. Jesus had asked a simple question: "Why go ye about to kill
me? The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill
thee?" (John 7:20) Then almost immediately, they sought to take him
and kill Him.
No man could lay hands on him, because His hour was not yet come. I am reminded
many times that the Lord God is in control. Looking back, I can say thank you
Lord for maintaining your timing instead of giving in to my time
schedule. When the time was according to God's schedule, Jesus gave
Himself into the hands of the Roman soldiers to be crucified. But let us be
reminded this morning, our Lord was in control during each circumstance that
led up to His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus accomplished redemption
in His own way and in His own time.
I remind myself this morning that I am to submit to the timing of my Lord
because He does all things well.