In Isaiah 18, it appears that the whole world is set to battle God’s
people. Yet what is the response of the Almighty One? “I will take My rest, and
I will look from My dwelling place” (v.4). His stillness may appear to have
been an acceptance of the conspiracy against them. But it wasn’t. God’s
response was His reminder that He acts in His timing—at just the right time
according to His will.
I think of Jesus waiting 4 days while Lazarus lay in the grave (John
11:39). Was He unaware? Did He not care? Of course He cared! He was waiting for
the right time to act and to teach the lessons He wanted to teach.
The Bible records God’s “delays,” many of which seem at the time to be
inexplicable from our point of view. Yet every delay flows from the depths of
His wisdom and love. If nothing else, delay, if we accept it, can produce the
quieter virtues—humility, patience, endurance, and persistence—qualities that
are often the last to be learned.
Are you in distress? Does the Lord seem distant and detached? He is not
indifferent to your plight, nor is He unmoved by your pleas. He is waiting
while His purposes are achieved. Then, at the right moment, He will intercede.
God is never in a hurry, but He is always on time.
God is worth waiting for; His time is always best. (RBC)
