"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." (II Peter 3:8).
As finite beings, our lives are bound up in time. Each of us had a beginning (Psalm 139:14) and each of us will have an end (Hebrews 9:27). In between these two events are moments in time that are measured in units such as seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, and, in rare instances, centuries. To help us measure time, we employ clocks and calendars. To help us mark moments in time, we commemorate events such as birthdays and anniversaries. We are time conscious. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. There are many matters in life that must be addressed in a timely manner, the most important of which is our salvation (II Corinthians 6:2; Romans 13:11). The trouble that we often face, however, is when we try to fit the timeless God into our limited timeline and expect Him to work things out on our schedules.
The struggling Hebrew Christians were told, "For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise." (Hebrews 10:36). Serving God involves trusting Him (Proverbs 3:5). It involves faith (II Corinthians 5:7). It involves patience (James 5:11). God will bless the faithful with what is most needed. He always has and always will. He is providentially active in this world (Ephesians 3:20). May we learn to be more patient and trusting and may our hearts be open to learn the lessons He wants us to learn while we wait for Him to work in His time.
| Day of the Week | Verses For Daily Study | Questions For Daily Introspection |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Psalm 9:10 | How can I demonstrate today that I trust God? |
| Day 2 | Hebrews 13:5 | What did James mean when He said that there is "no variation or shadow of turning" with God? |
| Day 3 | Acts 24:25 | Why is it dangerous to wait for a "convenient time" to obey God? |
| Day 4 | Ecclesiastes 7:8 | What are some blessings in my life that took time to develop? |
| Day 5 | James 1:5-6 | How can I keep from getting discouraged when my prayers are not answered how and when I want them to be? |
| Day 6 | Psalm 27:14 | Why did the Psalmist in this verse repeat his admonition to wait? |
| Day 7 | 1 John 5:14-15 | How often does God answer the prayers of the faithful? |
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