The Right Time

“Raising His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come.’” – John 17:1 NASB

Jesus was sensitive to the importance of time. He demonstrated that sensitivity throughout His ministry.

At a wedding in Cana, His mother wanted Him to help the bridegroom who had run out of wine, but Jesus responded, “My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). When He appeared in Jerusalem, some sought to seize Him, but no one touched Him “because His hour had not yet come” (John 7:30). When He spoke in the treasury, “no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come” (John 8:20).

As Jesus approached the last Passover, He knew, “the hour [had] come” (John 12:23). Then on the night before His crucifixion, He declared His awareness: “the hour has come.”

The Bible tells us, “God has made everything appropriate in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Jesus was sensitive to this principle. Throughout His ministry, He stayed faithful in every moment, seeking to complete His mission, waiting, and preparing for the right moment. Then, Jesus acted when the time was right. He was ready. He had been obedient.

These same principles apply to each of us. We must realize there is a right time and place for everything in our lives. Ask God to give you His discernment and guidance and a sense of His timing. Ask Him to reveal His will for you. Concentrate on being prepared for those special moments, so you may know when it is your time.

Reflection Question: Are you currently waiting for God to reveal the right time for something?