TIMES

We were watching an old BBC film that was set at the early days of WW11. One of the characters was assigned to a secret project of great importance to the war effort. He was a fighter pilot but was flying in simulated attacks on southern England. He was testing out the secret weapon’s ability to detect and track his approach. Of course we are talking about RADAR (radio detection and ranging). It had secretly been refined just prior to the war and was put into installations on the south coast of England in 1940. Interestingly it was a German scientist, Christian Huelsmeyer that first used radio waves to detect “the presence of distant metallic objects”.

As I watched the show and the military’s growing awareness of radar’s potential a wave of emotions rose up within me. I got choked up and could not speak as my spirit responded to a revelation I was receiving. I suddenly realized the sovereignty of God over the discovery and development of this technology. The first successful tests were done in 1935 by the American and British military just in time to be deployed before the battle of Britain. It was radar that allowed the British to defeat a much larger and stronger air force from Germany. Had the systems been developed two or three years earlier, the enemy would have been able to develop countermeasures. Two or three years later and it would not have been functional for defense. It came at the exact time it was needed to defeat the demonically inspired Nazis.

The bible is ripe with God doing things “in the fullness of time”. Jesus came in the fullness of time (Gal 4:4); we are going to be gathered together in the fullness of time (Eph 1:10); the angels will separate the good from the evil at the time of the harvest (Matt 13:30). God is never late but neither is He early. He always comes at the appointed time. God is the one that appoints the times, seasons and places that events are going to occur. There are 27 references to the appointed times that determine everything from births, to meetings, to beginnings and ends, to times and seasons, blessings and judgments.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: (Eccl 3:1). We must recognize the seasons if we are to flow with God’s timetable. We can’t be sowing in harvest or trying to reap in a time of planting. Jesus challenged the scribes with their inability to …discern the signs of the times (Matt 16:3).  In Israel, in times past … the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do (1Chron 12:32). God always gives us time but when the time has come we must enter into what He is doing or the time will pass us by and He will anoint someone else to work with Him.

The bridegroom is coming and some will be awake to call out His approach. Unfortunately most will be asleep (see Matt 25). The time will sneak up on us if we are slumbering.  But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ … (1Thess 5:4-9 NKJV).

God is faithful to warn us and work for us. His times are His times; we need to accommodate our goals and expectations to match His. We don’t have to be afraid because God is preparing everything for us to succeed but we have the responsibility to respond. It is He that will carry us if we will let Him but the time is short.

This life is short, twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry (Hab 2:3). The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2Pet 3:9). God has the perfect time for every event in your life. If you can trust Him, you can rest in His promises and enjoy the times He gives you.

Ken & Jeanne

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