January 17, 2023 … God Is Never Late …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2023 - Day 17 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from the Clark Family  singing  … In God’s Perfect Time … poignantly singing of how ALL things in our lives happen in God’s perfect control and timing.  

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Highlight Passage: …  John 11:23 [NLT] …  

23 Jesus told her [Martha], “Your brother will rise again.”   

… Jesus declares to Lazarus’ sister, Martha, that Lazarus will rise again from the dead.       

Highlight Passage (Context): …  John 11:17-27 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus purposely waits until Lazarus was in the grave for four (4) days before He demonstrated His power over death.                                                                                               

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Solomon, shows that we must trust in God’s timing and follow His ways no matter what we encounter in life.       

Reference Passage: … Ecclesiastes 3:1 [NLT] … 

1  For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.   

… God, thru Solomon, declares that He is in control of the timing of EVERYTHING on earth.    

Reference Passage: … Jeremiah 29:11-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Jeremiah, promises that He, The LORD, has plans for His chosen ones … in His good timing.           

Reference Passage: … Habakkuk 2:3 [NLT] … 

3 This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place.  It will not be delayed. 

… God, teaching truth to the Prophet Habakkuk (and to all believers) that God’s timing may seem delayed or slow at times; but God’s timing is ALWAYS perfect. .   

Reference Passage: … Romans 8:28 [NLT] … 

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together, for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.. 

… Paul teaches fellow Christians that EVERYTHING that happens in our lives is for our good as Christians and comes about for God’s glory.  

                                                                  

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Patricia Rayon … AT THIS LINK …   tells of a visiting missionary in Africa who was told that a worship service in the village he was attending would begin a certain time. However, the African Pastor and the church members didn’t show up for several hours past the time expected by the missionary.  But all of this, the missionary later learned, was not unusual due to different cultural time expectations; and the service turned out to be a glorious and God-honoring encounter.        

I think we all have encountered times in our lives when God’s timing seemed far different than our expectations.   That certainly happened for Jesus’ friend, Martha, when her brother Lazarus died (see highlight passage).  But in that entire encounter, Jesus, showed Martha, and all who were present, that Jesus - The God-Man - was in total control of everything which occurred, … to show those present, and all of us thru God’s word as we read it now, that our Lord is ALWAYS in control of the times in our lives. 

And, if my readers have taken in the linked song and meditated on the Scriptures above, … which I assume we all know as God’s truth, … we all need to trust God - and His perfect timing (see photo) - because EVERYTHING in our lives as Christians (as Paul relates in Romans 8:28) works together in God’s perfect timing  for our good and God’s glory.   

So, how about it … let’s all wait on God today!         

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for always being there for me … in Your perfect timing.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to wait on You, Lord, because Your timing is ALWAYS perfect.   …     Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.