Monday, September 24, 2012

At the Most Unlikely Time




Matthew 26:1-5
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him.  5 “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

The timing of God is so Amazing.  Jesus made sure He told the disciples about the end times just prior to His crucifixion.   I had to stop and wonder why He did this.  They didn’t even seem to want to listen to Him regarding His death and resurrection and now He is telling them about the end times.  Could it be that He wanted them to record this important information before it slipped their minds?  Life was going to be getting pretty hectic and there was about to be a dramatic switch.  Once Jesus was crucified, He would return but His work would be different and the focus of the disciples would be different.  Now was the time to tell them about the end times so it could be recorded accurately.

Jesus tells them two days prior to the Passover that He will be turned over to be crucified.  While at the same time the leaders of the Jewish faith were plotting to kill Him.  They thought they knew when would be the best time to do this would be and it was certainly not during the chaotic time of the Passover when everyone would be there.  Stop and think about that for a minute.  Jesus said it would happen during the Passover and the leaders were saying it couldn’t take place during the Passover.  The leaders thought they knew the people well enough to know that they could cause a riot but Christ knew the people better than the leaders.

At the most unlikely time that the leaders thought they could get by with this was the time God chose to fulfill His plan.  Wow, that is something to think about!  At the most unlikely times, is when God chooses to do His work.  This makes it even more evident that He is in control.

Are you trying to plot something out?   The leaders of the time were.  They were plotting a secret time to quietly capture Jesus and put Him to death yet they thought the people would get in the way.  This proves to me that He is so much in control that there is nothing that will get in the way of His plan for us.  Even our planning will not get in the way of His great design.

James 4:13-16, New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
James reminds us that it is God’s will that we do the things we do in this life.  We should boast in Him, not in our plans, will, or desires.  When those unexpected things turn up in our lives we must remember that it was not unexpected to God and trust that He knows what He is doing and He will carry us through.

As you seek Him today may you be more aware of the fact that He is in control.  May you trust Him to lead you and guide you with confidence in the steps that He has chosen for you.


Seeking Him with all my heart,
Sheila



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