There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.
However, what do we do when it takes longer than WE expect?
Ecclesiastes 3:6 says: a time to search and a time to
give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away.
The SS United States sank the other night in the Gulf off
the coast of Destin, Florida. Everyone
on the team said it would take 45 minutes.
The ship disagreed.
God said otherwise.
The 990-foot ship took over 8 hours from start to
finish when it finally submerged into the Gulf…
The team had a few delays, which added to the timing. Either way, everyone watched in hopeful
anticipation as the boat, which was comically called ‘unsinkable,’ stood its
ground and refused to go down without a fight.
Well, at least for one more night.
Sometimes our plans don't match God’s.
Can you relate?
I remember setting things up in our home with my husband
when we moved to Florida. I had goals
and plans for our new adventure together.
God had other plans.
We ticked off all the boxes, literally and
figuratively. There were boxes everywhere. Then we carefully unpacked them all and set
up the house, getting it ready for guests.
I honestly thought this would be easier than unpacking.
So, in my haste, I pushed ahead and looked for the closest
one that checked all the boxes.
I know, you heard the haste part…
Let me stop here for a minute.
Remember the story in the Old Testament about the Gibeonite
deception? The Israelites made a decision without seeking God first. They thought they had all the information
they needed to make the right decision.
However, the information was planted.
It was fake. It was AI. If they had sought God’s direction before deciding,
they would have exposed the fake narrative.
Because they didn’t ask the Lord, there were
consequences. The Gibeonites became
lifelong servants to Israel. There was
internal grumbling within Israel because they didn’t follow God’s orders.
And the long-term consequences…
The battle of Gibeon in Joshua 10.
King Saul broke the oath centuries later, causing a
three-year famine for Israel.
So many consequences.
Just by not asking God for His direction.
Back to my story….
We pushed to find a church quickly for several reasons. The first was to have a home church because
we felt like strangers in a strange land…
We missed our home church.
We missed our friends. We missed fellowship with friends on Sunday… We
needed stability.
We stepped into the building expecting the same church we
left.
Hoping.
It was at first.
Many were very friendly and loving.
But we didn’t pray before we decided to stay.
We just stayed and plugged in.
Months later, when we realized we weren’t supposed to be
there…
We were surprised by how it ended.
But God wasn’t.
I won’t get into all the details.
But we need to be Bereans.
We need to pray before, during, and after.
That is my lesson.
Timing. HIS
TIMING.
Not mine.
We are currently attending a new church.
Praying.
Before and during.
Not going quickly.
Just taking it day by day.
To see if this is the one HE wants us to attend.
We still keep in touch with some friends from the other
church…
I will keep you updated…
His Timing.
Not mine.
Love you, guys!
'There is a time for everything, and a season for every
activity under the heavens: '
Ecclesiastes 3:1
'Now
when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the
hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the
Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites,
Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)— they came together to wage war
against Joshua and Israel. However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua
had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation
whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and
mended. They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes.
All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. Then they went to Joshua
in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a
distant country; make a treaty with us.” The Israelites said to the Hivites,
“But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?” “We are
your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where
do you come from?” They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant
country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of
him: all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the
Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who
reigned in Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those living in our country said
to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We
are your servants; make a treaty with us.” ’ This
bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to
you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. And these wineskins that we filled
were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn
out by the very long journey.” The
Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then
Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of
the assembly ratified it by oath. Three days after they made the treaty with
the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near
them. So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities:
Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. But the Israelites did not attack
them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the
Lord, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, but
all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of
Israel, and we cannot touch them now. This is what we will do to them: We will
let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we
swore to them.” They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and
water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise
to them was kept. '
Joshua 9:1-21
