We read that at just the right time, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law, that we all might have the full rights of sons.
We are creatures of time. Time was important too, for Joseph and Mary. Events and human development happen within time. We have the advantage of seeing the time and events of Mary and Joseph in the narrative given to us in Scripture. We can see the whole picture and how God brought this together, worked it out with the more than difficult issues and completed it. Time like everything else, is God's servant. And yet we, even as servants of God in Jesus, can think and live at times, as if this is not true. As if time is not on our side, though since time is a servant of the One we serve, we know that God will work out and make everything beautiful in its appropriate time, at just the right time.
It has been said that for God to send his Son during this time, from the perspective of inhabited earth, was apt, as the Roman empire, with its roads and civilization, maximized the possibility of the spread of the gospel and the growth of this faith. The mission of God in Jesus is always to be undertaken, as we in Jesus plant seeds of this good news, water it with more proclamation and living, and then see the harvest of souls, as we continue to share and live out this word. This takes time, but time is on our side since God is over time, which along with us, ends up serving God and his will in Jesus.
We are not told in Scripture that there will be no bad times. Certainly Mary faced this later in life when the sword of her son's suffering pierced her very soul. We live in a world in which time seems to have run out or is running low for many. Yet we must persevere in faith, and be assured and awake as God's servants, that God is in control of time. At the right time God moves, and by the Spirit God wants us as his servants to move in correct time; his timing in our lives, in mission in Jesus in this world.
Advent and time. Let's take the time to make this Advent season and celebration special, remembering this most remarkable gift given at just the right time, in God's time- for us, and for the world. And then let's live out the continued giving of this gift for our own time, in Jesus as God's servants, knowing that time in God's will in Jesus, is not out of hand for God, but in God's great and good hands.
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6 comments:
Ted,
Great post brother.
I especially this week have been sooooo busy. I have three boys 6 and under and all have had Christmas parties going here and there and time has just been so stressful. It has been so hard to sacrficrice any of the time that I have had for God or spend quality time with God this week.
I am now done with Christmas parties and on break. I am preaching a Christmas sermon on Sunday but haven't spent time in personal study this week that I normally do. I missed it. I will get to spend it next week and relax with family. It will be nice. Celebrating Christ, the blessings of what he has done over the past year in my life, and starting a New Year with my family relaxing at home.
I want to thank you for all that you have done over this past year. Your blog has been a blessing to my life over the past year as I have read it and it has challenged my faith and relationship with God. I want to thank you. I apprecaite your friendship, wisdom and most of all your scholarship that I can see from your writtings. Thank you for challenging me. God bless you brother as you serve Him. I pray that God will be with you and your family over this Holiday season. I hope and pray it is the very best for you brother.
In Him,
Kinney Mabry
home!
Preacherman- Kinney,
Thanks for sharing all of that. You do have your hands full with your family and this special season on top of that.
I have enjoyed your fellowship as well, and it's a few people like you who probably will keep me blogging, as at times I think of pulling the plug on it, and just getting on from time to time. But above all, I enjoy fellowship with others when blogging.
Thanks for your always kind, generous words. I love to read anyhow, but your words make me want to read a little more- though all that I read I try to integrate through Scripture and prayer into my thought and living. Seems to take such a long time for truth to get through to me all the way to where I really live. I do think and feel myself as deficient, yet it is good for all of us to share with others, and be and do from the gift God has for each of us, and to keep working on that as well. The more you start reading, the more you realize of the greatness and mystery of God and the wonder and complexity of life, but also the more certain we can be by faith of Jesus Christ, and our grounding in him, and of the outcome from that.
But I really appreciate your fellowship and I'm sure I have learned from you and look forward to learning more to come, from your blog and from blogging with you. You remind me of my old pastor, Bill Hesse, a man of God who preached the full counsel of God and was a Barnabas risen from the dead. It is wonderful to see Jesus in you, and to find him in the community of Jesus.
Thanks again, and many blessings on you and yours,
Ted
Nancy,
Great. There's certainly no place like home, and it sounds like you'll be there for Christmas with your family.
Hmmm...Advent and time. I was doing my last-minute shopping the other day in the midst of a soon-to-be blizzard. Our cars were sliding about as if doing some sort of pre-holiday dance together. Christmas always seems to sneak up on me. Your Advent series has helped me to be a little bit more prepared...not just with the shopping =)...but spiritually as well. I appreciate it.
I would really miss your blog if you pulled the plug =( You've taught me a lot...about community, about myself...You've definately been a real blessing in my life.
I know I'm not a very good blogger myself, not very regular...still, I found that I needed to step back for a while...you blog quite a bit, so I can imagine your thoughts about getting on...just know you'd be missed!!!
Blessings to you and yours this Christmas!
The Walk,
Thanks for your kind words. I don't foresee pullijg the plug, and I know I've read such a feeling is common to all bloggers, or at least most of them. It's a good outlet for me, and I think I get more out of it than anyone much of the time at least, though I do want to encourage and share with others.
Hope you're inside if you're experiencing what we are right now. Windy, snowy, slippery, cold.
Blessings to you, as well, this Christnmas! And thanks again for your encouragement.
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