Rethinking Jesus: Jesus was always on time
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New Year’s resolutions are the worst. I avoid making them at all costs because I know I am no different than most people, and most people don’t keep their New Year’s resolutions. Citing a study by the University of Scranton, Forbes asserts that only 8 percent of Americans actually accomplish their New Year’s resolution.
If pressed to make a resolution, however, I really struggle with being more punctual. I know that it’s rude to be late and I really hate when I’m late, but sometimes I just struggle with managing my time. More frustrating is the fact that Jesus never struggled with punctuality.
Jesus was born right on time. Galatians 4:4 says when the time was right, Jesus was born. At the time of Jesus’ birth, the message he brought could be spread faster than ever before in human history. Jesus was born on the cusp of a population explosion. About 98 percent of people who have ever lived were born after Jesus had already paid for their sins on the cross.
Even in life, Jesus was always on time. The very week of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was predicted by the prophet Daniel and Jesus was right on time. Jesus saved a wedding right on time (John 2:1-12). He met his disciples in Capernaum on time by walking on water (John 6:16-21). Jesus even served lunch on time (see Matthew 14:13-21).
Jesus even showed up on time in the life of a young college student on vacation when his life couldn’t go on for one more day without him.
There was only one time Jesus might be accused of being late to rescue Lazarus in John 11. Lazarus’ sisters both tell Jesus that if he had come sooner, Lazarus would not have died (John 11:21 and 32). John 11:6 says Jesus waited where he was for two days until Lazarus died before leaving. At first blush, this seems like uncharacteristic procrastination. But let’s do some math. In John 11:39, right after Jesus had arrived at Lazarus’ hometown where he was buried, Martha warns Jesus that Lazarus had been dead for four days when Jesus orders the tomb open. So Lazarus died two days after Jesus heard of his illness, but it took Jesus four days to get to where Lazarus was. Even if Jesus left right away, he still would not have made it “on time” before Lazarus died.
But here we see the secret to Jesus’ punctuality. He seemed to be aware of God’s plan for the circumstances. Jesus said, “It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4) He understood God’s plan because of his relationship with the Father. Jesus showed up just in time for Lazarus’ funeral when a resurrection would be the most public.
Will you trust Jesus to show up on time for you? Whether he saves you from your sin or from your circumstances, he will do it right on time. He did it when he was on earth then and he does it from heaven now.
You and I might fail in our resolutions, but Jesus never does. He promised to “seek and saved that which was lost,” (Luke 19:10) and he does. Will you allow yourself to be found this year?