Trusting God’s Timing

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 

-Mark 5:25 NIV

 

12 years is a long time.  I’m assuming this woman had prayed about this.  One day she sees Jesus in a crowd and takes matters into her own hands.  She touches Jesus’ robe and is healed!  Do you know what it’s like to wait for God to do something?  Tom Petty’s been telling us for years, “The waiting is the hardest part”.  I think there’s little question that God intentionally makes His people wait.  What that tells us is that there is a purpose to the waiting, otherwise God wouldn’t do it.  We may never fully grasp what the purpose is, but let it comfort you that God is accomplishing His purpose in your life.  I don’t know what life lessons, if any, this bleeding woman learned over her 12 years of suffering, but patience, resolve, and tenacity are the kinds of things I can use more of.  God has a purpose in your waiting.  You may never see it, but God does.  Trust God’s timing.  Thanks to Jesus, one day soon enough we will all be together with Him and waiting will be no more.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

-Matthew 11:28-29 NIV

 

Jesus mentions “rest” twice in those two verses.  He’s talking about a special kind of rest.  We don’t need divine intervention to know that our bodies need rest.  For many people, going to sleep is the best part of the day!  Apparently we do need divine intervention so that we’ll realize we need spiritual rest.  Jesus tells us that in Him we will find rest for our souls.  I’m gonna suggest that a good number of the ills in our lives would be remedied through regular worship and Bible study.  I’m also going to suggest that a good number of the ills in our society have arisen because of a lack of spiritual rest.  Less than 30% of Americans worship on the average Sunday morning.  Am I equating church attendance with spiritual rest?  Yes.  Yes, I am.  When we gather for worship, God comes to us through the reading of His Word.  Jesus gives us rest through the forgiveness of our sins in the Lord’s Supper.  Our souls rest in the certainty that because Jesus died and rose, we will rise as well.  We are reminded that life on earth is temporary, while life in heaven is eternal.  These certainties give much needed rest to our souls and soothing hope to our troubled minds.  Heed the invitation of Jesus to come to Him.  Open your Bible and be fed.  Worship this Sunday and receive the spiritual rest that Jesus gives.