On Training wheels and Water wings…
There comes a time in the young cyclist’s life that the training wheels must come off. And there comes a time in the young swimmer’s story that the water wings must be removed. The centrifugal and gyroscopic principles were always the cyclist’s real allies, as was the principle of buoyancy in the case of the swimmer. For a time the respective supports were necessary, but never were they intended to continue.
So it is with the faith of Abraham in looking forward to that promised Seed, the Mosaic Law, and the faith of the Christian in looking backward to that same Seed. The Law was there till we learned our fallenness… gave up our trying to make it our full support… our self-made righteousness.
And when that time arrived, that time to toss off that old and it’s bondage, that time to embrace the new, Christ came… that promised Seed, the eternal Word, “became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14) — “we have heard… we have seen… we have looked at and our hands have touched,” writes John (1 John 1:1). And then He was not. And now we look back.
But His coming, tho brief, was at that divine and perfect time, that time known by the Father from the foundations of the worlds, from before time, from, to, and within the eternal! Paul writes the Galatians, “…when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son“ (Gal. 4:4).
God has a time, and a purpose, and when the time is right, God will do.
Solomon in His wisdom observed this rule: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Eccl. 3:1). Or, as some translations have it, “a time to every purpose.”
Nothing is random in God’s universe, unless it is random by purpose. Nothing is rogue, even the devil and his hosts ultimately will serve His purposes. And nothing can thwart these. As Gamaliel cautioned regarding the presumptions of some to do so, “Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:38-39).
And so, in God’s good will and purpose, He waited. And then, “…when the set time had fully come” God acted.
Believer, this is so even today. God has His times and purposes for you too. And like the cyclist… like the swimmer… like the gift of God’s Son… these things are made actual to you not by vain effort, but by Faith.
More tomorrow…
To hear this past Sunday’s message, go to the Facebook page of Lincoln Baptist Church, or link to the livestream from the church website.
thebrokenrunner 