With Children or Animals

7/23/2016

Psalm 75. 2 You say, “I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge with equity.”

Have you ever wondered what the appointed time is? Let’s face it, there is an appointed time to be born and there is an appointed time to die. We only have so much sand in the hourglass of life. And the appointed time is when the last grain falls through. And in God’s realm (of which we are included) there is, from eternity, an appointed time for creation in every aspect.

It is God who chose the fullness (Galatians 4.4) of time for His Son to become a part of the human race as a child. There was an appointed hour in which the Son would be tried, charged, and executed for His choosing to do what God appointed Him to do. There was an appointed moment when the Son rose victoriously from the grave, and subsequently rose from this earth to rule in Heaven. All of these events happened at precisely the right moment.

But why?

My thought: when God proclaims, “I choose the appointed time…” it means that nothing is random, and all things are under His control and plan. God works within the evil and the good. Nothing escapes His view, and everything happens according to His timing. Our God who is outside of time, works within time to save those who believe, and to charge those who don’t.

In my thinking, there is a measure of all human activity and when that measure either fills up or runs out, God acts accordingly.

So, the trials we face, or the joys we experience are all cataloged in God’s perfect and complete plan. In Cinema, the old trope goes: never work with children or animals.* In other words, children or animals may do as planned – or – they may not. Certain things you can plan for – others you can’t. And you film according… God judges accordingly, but moves within His judgment at precisely the right moment.

One day, at just the right moment – at the moment of His choosing – the good will be judged, and so will the evil. (Genesis 15.16) And God, according to the above, will judge with equity; whatever we are accountable for, we will be judged for. Equity means we all will bring something to the judgment. Equity means we all will be accountable.

Will we have enough evidence to make a difference at the judgment? That is up to us…

Father, through Jesus Christ, all of us will stand and give an account at just the right moment, the moment of Your choosing. May my relationship with Jesus stand for something. Like the old king pled: look at what I have done according to You! Father, You are equitable with the evil and the good. I’m glad. Amen.

*Attributed to W.C. Fields