Timing

When I think of God's timing, I think of one-liners I've heard throughout my life, like "God's timing isn't our timing" and "God's never late; He's always right on time." But while those are helpful to remember when I am impatient, they seem to. . . fall short? be incomplete? I don't know. . . they seem empty.

I think one of the best examples of God's timing not making sense to me is in I Samuel (can you tell that is where I am doing my daily Bible reading right now??) when Saul does something else that angers God. I think this specific case is when Saul offered a sacrifice to God without waiting on Samuel. God tells Samuel that He will remove his blessing from Saul's kingship and that Samuel should anoint David instead. Samuel obeys. Then, nothing. . . for years. (I guess it's years? The Bible isn't clear on this.)

Anyway, Saul is still king, and David plays his harp for Saul and fights Saul's battles for him. Then comes David and Goliath, Saul's incredible jealousy of David, and David's flight for his life. THEN David is made king.

It seems like David was so swiftly anointed that God would have, just as swiftly, removed Saul from the throne and put David there. When you start something with that kind of speed, you usually finish it with that kind of speed, right?

I think of things I am waiting on: a move back to St Louis (no, I haven't given up on it yet), a child for my sister, time to vacation with friends, life to get easier, etc. I feel like God has started -- and stopped-- these wishes so many times.

I think the takeaway is that God is always working for us, even if it feels like He has stalled out. He will finish what He started.