It had all of the appearance of just being fortunate timing. Monica and I had attended different Sunday morning churches with specific responsibilities. Around 1:00 p.m. she returned to our condo with our oldest granddaughter, Brooklyn. The three of us then drove to Joel’s condo to relax and have a few snacks. Then we put our coats back on and walked over to view the ice sculptures on display in downtown Mount Clemens. The first one had a hole in the center ideal for picture taking. We had Brooklyn smile through the hole, took her picture, and then walked away to see the remaining 30 some sculptures.
I tend to be a little slow, so I was still lingering near the sculpture while the family was walking away. Suddenly I heard the voice of a man who was obviously speaking to me. He wondered if that was my granddaughter we had just photographed, and if he could take her picture. He then explained, as his ID tag further reinforced, that he was a reporter for the Macomb Daily. After I summoned the other three to return, he had us all pose by the sculpture. After a few flashes he asked a few background questions, and we were all on our way. The rest of our afternoon included homemade cinnamon rolls from one vendor, ice cream at the chocolate store, and supper at Three Blind Mice. I never noticed the reporter again … as I said, it seemed to be a matter of timing.
That evening, on a whim, I found the Macomb Daily online, and there, on the front page was our picture along with an article mentioning all of us by name and quoting the two females in our foursome. The print-copy the following morning had a picture of different children, but the opening line of the article quoted our granddaughter. I sent the reporter, Mitch Hotts, a note of thanks via email, but have not heard back from him. I might follow up later today by sending him a copy of this article.
This timing was much better than what occurred a previous Sunday. On that day I was told of a man who was on life-support in the hospital. We prayed for him in church, and then I made plans to visit him on Monday. However, before I made it to McLaren, I received word that the gentleman had passed away. I felt like kicking myself for not making the visit right away on Sunday.
Then, again, I also started to wonder why God called him home before I could visit. Surely he knew my plans. It would have been very easy, so it seemed to me, to have Jesus delay the man’s death until after (or even during) my visit. If it’s just a matter of timing, was the problem with mine or his?
The corrective comes to me gently through the prophet Isaiah. “’My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. You shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace.’” (Isaiah 55.8-12)
And, in regard to me kicking myself for not making the visit on Sunday, the preceding two verses speak volumes … on his mercy. “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55.5-6) We called upon the Lord on Sunday morning while the Lord was near and are assured that he heard our cry for mercy. And, as I – the unrighteous man – have returned to the Lord, he has assured me that I am abundantly pardoned.
My timing is often quite flawed (I could tell you stories but prefer to “plead the fifth”). Additionally, I have often also questioned God’s timing. This all simply illustrates my “verse 7” identity of being both wicked and unrighteous. Thankfully, though, the verse goes on to identify our God as compassionate and abundant in pardoning … along with the assurance that his timing in this regard is always impeccable.
I don’t know if God has anything more in mind that our “fifteen minutes of fame” from the Macomb Daily – and I’m not going to worry about it (our role is simply to do what we are called to do and entrust the outcomes to him). Nor am I going to worry about all the episodes of poor timing in my life … I know the Lord Jesus is in control and will take care of me … and all the others involved. His goal is simply that we live in his mercy, trust his ways and timing, and “seek him while he may be found, that is, call upon him while he is near” … which, of course, includes every day of our life on earth.
Timing