Appointed Times

This is a season of beginnings. As the calendar turns to a new year, we often lay out plans, make resolutions, and set goals. We take stock of our resources and think about our lives and the problems we face.

For those developing marketing plans, this process is called an environmental analysis. It is a snapshot of the world, a review of the factors that play a role in accomplishing objectives. A good environmental analysis looks at ourselves and our resources. It looks at our competitors, and the problems we face: How they developed and our strategies for dealing with them going forward.

Those developing these marketing plans seek to be not just hopeful but also realistic. For they really don’t know what will happen with our finances and the economy, or with the environment or world conditions.

Believers, too, inevitably spend time thinking about their lives. For all of us have problems and needs. All of us deal with sin. All of us are imperfect. And all of us can look to God and His Word for guidance and direction. We can seek Him through prayer, and cast our burdens on Him. We can draw on the power of the Spirit.

But Believers also should realize that God is sovereign! As we look toward the future, we can be confident that He has “an appointed time for everything.” This is not just true for today but for every day of the year. And in the years to come.

As we look at our calendars, we might see appointed times, moments with opportunities and challenges with surprises and disappointments. But in every situation, we should remember that God is with us, that He has a divine calendar not only for our lives, but for events in the world. Truly we can trust our lives to Him.