I Thessalonians 4:17b – 18 says, “we will be with The Lord forever. Therefore, encourage one another with these words”.
The world in which we live has a limited view and as followers of Christ, if we are not careful we can get caught up in the belief we only have 70, 80, 90, or 100 years and then rush to accomplish things for God. While praying for someone today, The Lord said to me, “the kingdom of God is not in a hurry to advance. One seed sown is better than a thousand seeds scattered.” As I meditate on this word, I realize when we are driven by time, or are in a hurry continually, we produce things in the flesh. The promises of God are not contingent upon our time table.
Abraham was promised a son by Sarah, but it took 14 years for that promise to come to pass. The impatience of people is why Ishmael is on the earth, but the promise of God is why Isaac is as well. God is not anxious about how long something takes, for He is confident that what He said He will do, He will do.
I learned in my desert training that time is a bondage in which many live and out of fear of being forgotten or missing out, many have produced Ishmael’s. Our need for significance drives us to produce, but over time the quality of our work will be seen.
In other countries they are in a hurry to become developed nations, so they build big buildings, create paved roads and erect multiple shopping complexes. On the outside it looks so developed, and this is what they want the world to see, but spend some time with the people and you realize it is a third world country in a first world suit.
One of the keys to kingdom success is to slow down. Jesus never ran anywhere, was never in a hurry (quote from Dave Roberts), Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing. Jesus lived with an eternal view, He knew that Peter, James, Paul, Mary, Priscilla, Timothy, you and me would one day be on the earth to continue what He started. Jesus knew that He had all of eternity to establish the kingdom of God on earth, do you realize the same thing?
We need an eternal view, so we stop being driven by fear of being forgotten, not producing or missing out. The Lord knows what He promised you, He will bring it to pass, so rest, relax and rejoice in the truth that you have all of eternity to advance the kingdom of God on earth.
