Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The Season Of Preparation

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

There is a season of preparation for every servant of God, but very few are willing to pay the price of being made ready for the task. The prophet Isaiah describes the season of preparation of the Messiah: “The LORD has called Me from the womb; from the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft; in His quiver He has hidden Me” (Is. 49:1-2). Like a polished arrow, Jesus was prepared and hidden in the quiver of His heavenly Father.

The “quiver experience” is very hard for most people. Many would think that after going through the painful experiences of being polished and sharpened in the hands of God, they are ready to be sent forth. But now they ask, why am I waiting aimlessly in the secret place of the Master’s quiver? But this is a time to learn patience. God has a perfect time to “shoot” forth the believer so that it hits the mark God ordains for him. Look at Jesus. He came to the earth at the perfect moment in history. Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son.” Jesus, who was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, waited patiently for the moment in which He would be revealed.

Moses was destined to be the great leader of Israel, but there was a perfect time known only to God for the release of that “arrow.” When Moses killed the Egyptian, it was not the perfect time for him to be Israel’s spiritual leader. Moses had to be in the quiver for another 40 years. David was destined to be king over Israel. He was anointed when he was about 17 years of age, but he did not ascend to the throne until he was 30. David had to wait in the quiver for 13 years.

While David could have killed Saul on a number of occasions to gain the throne for himself, he did not. He chose to submit himself to God’s divine time and not man’s. Temptations and pressure will come to you, from without and from within, urging you to move ahead of God’s timing. However, let us develop patience and wait for the timing of the Lord, for He is the only perfect Marksman. Remember the exhortation in Hebrews 6:12 that says, “That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

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