God Still Has Time

Approaching the end of this year and the start of a new year, I initially couldn’t reason how to feel. If only hope and expectancy were the key ingredients, this year would be ending a little differently. I gave it my all and then some. I mustered the courage to continue believing in spite of every disappointment and curve ball. Now the end of this year is near and like many, I’m holding on to the cliché “God still has time” to do what’s hoped to be done within the close of this year. But I’d be lying if I said that I have been absolutely assured that things will change by the end of this year.

I am not trying to be a negative Nancy nor am I declaring that God won’t do it. I’m just not completely sure He will. Please allow me to explain. God most certainly has the time to do, that in which we desire for Him to do within this year. Just one word spoken by Him and scenarios change, blinded eyes are opened, and transformation occurs. He’s just that powerful.

But even with God having the power to do it, it doesn’t dismiss His authority to choose not to. Therefore, I’m not totally certain that things will change by the end of the day December 31^st but I remain resolute in my belief that God is able to do it.

The three Hebrew boys—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—set a pertinent example of how we should approach situations in faith and with respect to God’s sovereignty. Firm in their position to not bow down and worship any other gods, the king threatened them with the punishment of being thrown into a blazing furnace to burn to death. Unshaken by the king’s threat, the three Hebrew boys made this bold statement,

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” – Daniel 3: 17-18

Did you catch the very first part of that last verse? The three Hebrew boys stated, “but even if he does not”. In the former verse, they acknowledged their belief in God’s ability to deliver them but followed it up with the reality of God choosing not to. There was absolutely no doubt that God could do it but they humbled themselves in recognition that—for whatever reason—God may choose not to.

Here we see that true faith is not only believing God can but it’s also trusting in His sovereign will when He chooses not to. If you read on in Daniel 3, the three Hebrew boys were not spared the trouble of being thrown into the blazing furnace. God could’ve struck down every last one of the Hebrew boys’ adversaries so that they wouldn’t have to go into the fire but in His sovereignty, He chose not to.

There’s always a greater reason to why God does what He does, including when He chooses to do nothing. God’s thoughts and ways are higher than the thoughts and ways we have (Isaiah 55:9). In that, He knows the best plan of action and the perfect time to act on behalf of His people. Most times, that time doesn’t align with the timing we’ve set but He’s still faithful.

God enacted a greater plan on behalf of the Hebrew boys. This plan included the Hebrew boys being thrown into the fiery furnace but ultimately surviving the fire! They came out of the fire unharmed, not even smelling like smoke! From this great occurrence, all who were there saw the power of God and the king who bore witness glorified God.

Perhaps many of us have no absolute assurance that God will do what we would like for Him to do by the end of this year. However, we should know without a shadow of a doubt that He can. And even if He doesn’t, we must trust that He has a greater purpose for not doing so.

As the time winds down and the new year is vastly approaching, you may feel the trepidation stemming from a possible unanswered prayer but take heart. There’s still time for Him to do it before the clock strikes twelve on Saturday morning. But even if He doesn’t, there’s still hope. And with that hope we declare hallelujah anyhow!