… and which now at his appointed season …
Summary: We are in a wonderful story being writing by our lives. God allows us to participate in writing the story at the same time he offers us a happy ending.
In storytelling timing is everything. Nobody tells a joke by starting with the punchline. A magician whose timing is off can’t even pull a rabbit out of his hat, let alone make his assistant disappear.
We are part of a story. The story is being written even as you read these words. It is the story of an epic battle between Good and Evil. Each of us gets to choose which side we want to be on. And so it has been since Cain killed Abel.
Ever since that first moment when Adam and Eve disobeyed, the story arc crescendoed. Each chapter of the story was more amazing than the one before. Noah and his family save life on this planet from destruction. Their secret was to choose Good and obey God.
Abraham followed God’s commands and ended up in the Promised Land. His children became slaves in Egypt for four hundred years, and despite their complaints and general whininess, God brought them out of Egypt.
God gave Moses his laws and through Moses gave the Israelites God’s instructions for being Good. God had made a covenant promise through Abraham, which he confirmed through Moses. The people of Israel had a choice. They could choose to be Good or Evil. They choose Evil. Again and again, they chose to ignore God. They avoided doing Good and clung to Evil.
Finally, God’s punishment falls on them. They are exiled, and then a remnant is returned to Israel after seventy years. Slowly Jerusalem is rebuilt, and the Second Temple rises from the rubble. By this time, the covenant between Abraham and God is in tatters. Israel wakes up hundreds of years later to find itself under Roman rule.
This, then, is the setting for God’s appointed season. This is the time God chose for his Son to be born on earth. This is the point in the story where God’s Son takes upon his shoulders the entire sin of the world so that God might redeem his people.
Not everyone has chosen Evil, but no one is able to be Good. And so Good came to earth to pay for the sins, the brokenness, and the mistakes of all mankind. People are free to repent of their Evil deeds no matter how bad they have been. God promises forgiveness and eternal acceptance and love.
Since that time, mankind has lived in the season appointed under the New Covenant of Jesus Christ. The end of that season is nearing. A new story is about to be written. What an honor and a privilege to be born into this life. What a blessing to be chosen by God to receive his forgiveness. What a joy to be alive in this season of God’s story!
Application: Be thankful that we are alive in this season of God’s story!
Food for Thought: How would you compare being alive now to any other time in history of your choosing?
Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful no matter what because we have a great God. I rejoice in all that He gives me. I wouldn’t mind being in the time before we were kicked out of the garden.
Brother Tim,
That is a great time to pick! I think we all long for that time in our hearts. The Good News is that we will be in that time soon.
Blessings!
Now is the time of God’s choosing and that is good enough for me. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
Nice answer, Rich!
Smart man!! 🙂
I think I’m fine where I’m at…covid and all.
Happy thanksgiving!
A truly thankful heart!
Blessings, Rob!
God has chosen the time, place and family I would be born into and I am blessed to be living as an adult in America today. I am free to study and grow in Christ as I choose, while I live in prosperity that is the envy of most of this entire world. I have an enormous mission field just outside our door. The true God of all creation prepares the hearts and brings the spiritually hungry to me, allowing me to be a part of His ministry to this world which is growing darker by the minute. I live in the perfect time and am so very thankful to God for allowing me to be part of His plan, to witness the effect of His powerful love for all mankind at work, defeating the powers of darkness around me.
Happy Thanksgiving All!
Thank you, Ron!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours as well.
I guess as long as I had Jesus in my life it wouldn’t matter when because I am alive in Him no matter what year it is,..I am grateful to be part of His story and blessed to be able to share in His goodness, grace and glory,..
He has set before us a wonderfully full filled table of goodness, grace and glory,..I am thankful to have a place at His table and eat of His manna,..
I want to thank you Jeff,..for turning me onto ZOOM,..we had our first ever Family Thanksgiving ZOOM Gathering,..Family from Portland, Gresham, Bend and Harlengen TX all together around the table from ZOOM,..it was a good thing for today,..thanks again
Hope everyone enjoys their time of being thankful, hope your table is full of His goodness and grace,..my table will be full of Turkey Cranberry Rolls, Blueberry Cheesecake and those hard boiled eggs that have been prepared into a creamy goodness.
Happy Thanksgiving
John,
I’m so glad you were able to use the Zoom technology to good advantage! Blessings!