It’s All About Timing!

Luke 1:24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived,
and hid herself five months, saying, Luke 1:25 Thus hath
the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me,
to take away my reproach among men.

Sunday, I had the honor of sharing a Word at Image Church in Houston Texas. The message, “It’s all about Timing!”

In this message, God was speaking to me about the most important timing of all, God’s timing. His timing cannot be measure or controlled. It can be appreciated but not accelerated. It is the most blessed of occurrences one can experience, and the most painful aspect of the walk we have to endure. God’s timing, while we focus on the time between the prophecy/prayer and fulfillment of His Word, is more about the journey of trust and faith we are on with God. While we focus on the time it takes to bring things into fruition, frustrated as we see a deed undone and a prayer unanswered, we forget that our God is working and preparing things for fulfillment.

Here we find Elizabeth still filled with faith.
It’s not about what God has promised, but
what she believes about the power of her
God who she knew to have all power in His hands.

She knew Him to be a capable, willing and able. Like us, she must have held on to the story of her ancestors, hearing how He was faithful to Sarah, and how he had come through for Hannah. She must have fasted and prayed; and not waivered. She placed her concerns in His hands, then worshiped and served Him as though He had fulfilled her request. While others complained and wrote bad reviews, she gave Him 5-star praise and 5-star worship. Her mouth was filled with adoration and thanksgiving, though her one desire remained unfulfilled.

She resisted the temptation to grumble and complain, rather choose to wait on God to act. She was willing to accept His will for her life, and though not content with her situation, was content to find joy in His will for her life. But conception was not just a concept, it was a commanded and charted as a part of her journey.

Don’t Take it Personal!

Elizabeth wasn’t being punished with being barren, she was being reserved to bring for God’s servant who would change the community. Many times, we take the decision of God personal. We judge His response to our request, or the timing of His response as judgement. Barrenness was deemed a punishment. If not blessed with a child, people assumed that the person was being judged publicly by God for a sin, or that the sins of their forefathers were being carried out with justice in the next generation. “Who sin?” they must have asked, as Elizabeth sad innocently serving her God. Only she and the Lord knew their relationship, and while others had deemed her worthless, God has decided that she was worthy. For God, creation is not just procreation, but has a purpose, and calling attached to each seed.

Elizabeth was One Revelation Away!

Elizabeth didn’t know she was being reserved, and someone reading today don’t realize they are being preserved. God has a special assignment for you, like He had for Elizabeth. She has been reserved for a work that was beyond populating the earth and subduing its grounds. While others worked by the sweat of their brow, Elizabeth seed knees would spend more time in the soil in prayer than his hands working the land. His field would require a different type of labor and would be used to change the course of a nation of people.

Those that once teased and judged her, would now hold her in high esteem and know that God had anointed her for a special work. Likewise, there are some that have judged you based on your journey and your past, but they don’t know your future, nor do they have control over it. Because of that, we must trust God’s timing and believe without a shadow of a doubt that He is working things out and working on our behalf. It is important to know that He is working for us but must be noted that He does not work for us. This is important for us to understand. God is a loving Father who serves us based on His love for us, not because He is indebted to us or slave to us.

Elizabeth and Mary are Tied together!

While Elizabeth received good news, which is a revelation to us all. It’s not only the knowledge that she will conceive, that her child would be special, but that her cousin would bear a child as well. Elizabeth gets the word that her miracle was tied to Mary’s miracle. God reserved her womb not because she was not prepared or ready to be a mother, but that He was to prepare Mary.

I love this! Elizabeth was capable of conceiving the entire time. She had the ability and skills to be a mother the entire time. This just in!!! Just because you are capable. Just because you are gifted. Just because you are passionate doesn’t mean that it the right time. Most of us measure timing by our assessment of ourselves, and don’t consider there are more factors to fulfillment than what God is doing and can do through us.

Sometime God reserves your Testimony!

Good news, your baby bump has been reserved to encourage and confirm something for someone else. God needed Elizabeth testimony in this season as a sign to increase her faith. Stop taking it personal! God is preparing the right season and circumstances for your testimony to be utilized. We must accept that God sometimes reserves your womb not for you to believe, but that others might believe. Stop looking at yourself as the sole indicating factor!

Sometimes I’m waiting on You;
Other Times You are waiting on Me!

Sometimes your womb is ready, but the world isn’t ready for your gift! Not only are Mary and Elizabeth tied together, but John’s mission was tied to Jesus’, and since the world wasn’t ready for Jesus, they had to wait for John, and subsequently, Elizabeth had to endure barren years! Both John and Jesus were a part of the plan from the beginning. God had already launched His plan for Reconciliation, but the people had to wait for each prophecy to be written and must watch each one be fulfilled. Calm down, God is merely dotting “i’s” and crossing “t’s”! There are still some details that are being written as He fulfills my prayers. He is literally writing your blessing out in code. Most of us want a “Wix” type of blessing, but God is personalizing some blessings just for you!

My Gift is Unique!

Interestingly, many people got to birth and hold Kevin, Jacob and Anthony, but only Elizabeth got to hold and deliver John The Baptist! All children are a gift from God to the parent, but John like Jesus was a gift to the World. Elizabeth bore a gift that would lead other to righteousness. She bore a child that would walk against the grain and be willing to take a stand for holiness and righteousness while others compromised. John would keep himself for the service of the Lord, and would uphold closely the standard of righteousness that would allow him to carry out his assignment. What type of gift are you carrying? What is God reserving you for? What will God accomplish through your life and the life of your gift?

I wish I knew!!!! I do know God is going to birth something special and unique through you! Be patient, because “It’s all about the timing!”

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