For more help use this Bible Study method
REFLECTION
His Hour Had Not Yet Come
by David Thompson
All of chapter 7 shows that God has a plan and that all things happen when He allows them to happen. Back in Wednesday's devotion, we saw Jesus's brothers pushing to have Him go to the Festival of Tabernacles. Jesus stated that His time had not yet come. Likewise we see in today's passage that the high priests and some from the crowd tried to seize Him, but they couldn't lay a hand on Him "...because His hour had not yet come" (v. 30). By this action and the miracles God allowed Him to perform, "...many in the crowd believed in Him" (v. 31).
Early in my Christian walk, the church my wife and I were attending had a time for testimonies. It was a time to tell what God was doing for you or what He had done in the past. For me, it was me telling of my rough childhood and teenage years. My parents had divorced; I got into alcohol, drugs, gangs and skipping school. I was a miserable young person and, at the time, I didn't know why I had to go through all of those negative times.
Somehow, I met my Christian wife, got married and applied myself like I had never done before to my studies. As it turned out I graduated from college with a degree in Elementary Education and Psychology. My first job was as a special needs middle school teacher with a bunch of rough kids who had grown up "through tough times" just like me. So, during the testimony time, I shared how it dawned on me why God had allowed me to go through all of my sordid past. I was able to relate to my students in a way that really reached them. My time had come to show love and truth to a group of young people that I believe needed that kind of understanding to grow in a positive way.
In my life and in the life of Jesus in this passage, God had a plan. And nothing was going to mess with the timing of those plans. God has a plan for all of our lives. Perhaps you don't understand the reasons behind that plan. Perhaps it involves divorce, loss of job, or health concerns. It is important to note that God causes good things to happen, but like with Job, He allows bad things to happen when necessary.
We likely can't always see the sense in the issues we face while we are in the middle of them, but as we look back at the situation(s), often we can see God's hand in the outcome. Psalms 139:13 states, "...you knit me in my mother's womb." And Jeremiah 1:5 says, "...before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee" (KJV). God was there at the beginning, even the beginning of the world and He knew you...YOU! He also knows the end and has a plan for each of us. Hopefully the knowledge that God is involved in all aspects of your life will give you confidence that what you went through in the past, are going through in the present and will go through in the future is part of His master plan. Rest in that.
Dear God, thank you for creating me in your image and with your plan. Help me to see your plan at work and give me the confidence to know that you did know me at the foundation of the world and you chose to allow me to be born and to live to fulfill your plan. Help me know when the "hour" has come for me to do your will and to advance your incredible plan. In Christ's name. Amen.
Commentaires