Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy and Doesn’t Yo-Yo Us (5/29/25)

Have you ever been on a flight that had one delay after another? On one flight, I received over a dozen notifications about changes to the departure time. The estimated departure was often moved later, but some of the notifications indicated an earlier departure. I understand weather delays can’t be avoided and estimated maintenance times are hard to predict. It was stressful waiting, though, with the yo-yo time changes.

Jesus’s final judgment on all evil may seem delayed to us, but it will happen at the exact time and in the detailed way God prescribed. He won’t yo-yo on us. When the 7^th angel sounds the trumpet, He will finish the job.

Revelation 10:5-7   ⁵ Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. ⁶ And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! ⁷ But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

God’s given us the Bible which is full of His plans. We don’t have to be in the dark about the future. We can know the “mystery” of God as we read and study His Word. He’s given us exactly what He knows we need to be adequately prepared.

Do you and I truly believe God created everything, cares for everything, and has a master plan? If so, how are we taking advantage of the resources He’s given to us to know His plans? We don’t need to be stressed out like on a delayed flight. The better we know God’s truths, the more we will experience peace while we wait. 

Thursday Devotional - Jesus is Truth – With Purpose in Delay (1/18/24)

Have you ever asked God for direction or provision for something that seemed to be according to His will, but His answer didn’t appear timely?

That’s happened several times to me. I’ve thought God directed me to do something, but then things seemed to fall apart or didn’t resolve in the way or timing I expected. With the adoption of James and Sarah, God miraculously connected us with them. However, the process was delayed and quite frustrating. Various people seemed to step up or appeal for them. Looking back, we can see how God received greater glory through all the delays! He made it more and more clear He intended us to adopt and that He was in control to bring it about.

 

God’s seeming delay is always for His purposes and His glory. As with the raising of Lazarus, Jesus delayed for God’s glory and the benefit of his disciples.

John 11:1, 3-6, 14-15  Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha… ³So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." ⁴When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." ⁵Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days… 

¹⁴So then he told them [disciples] plainly, "Lazarus is dead, ¹⁵and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

 

Can you think back over your past situations and see how God received greater glory and grew your faith through seeming delays? Let’s remember that as we face new situations that don’t seem to be working out in the timing we think is best.

Thurs Devo: No More Delay!

I’ve been on several delayed flights recently. The worst one caused me to miss a connecting flight. The most frustrating part was that I received notification that my connecting flight was also delayed, but it ended up leaving on time (and without the 5 of us from my first flight)! I also received over a dozen notifications about changes to the departure time of the first flight. I understand weather delays can’t be avoided, but clear and accurate communication would be helpful. It’s stressful waiting, especially when the information given to us isn’t reliable.

God won’t keep changing times on us. He will accomplish His purposes and plans fully and we can trust Him to follow through.

Revelation 10:5-7     ⁵ Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. ⁶ And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! ⁷ But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

God’s given us the Bible which is full of His plans. We don’t have to be in the dark about the future. We can know the “mystery” of God as we read and study His Word. He’s given us exactly what He knows we need to be adequately prepared.

Do you and I truly believe God created everything, cares for everything, and has a master plan? If so, how are we taking advantage of the resources He’s given to us to know His plans for the future? The better we know His truths, the more we will experience peace while we wait. 

Alice