AUG 6

John 7:1-10
Memorise John 7:6
“Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.”

All the Jews were now preparing for the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem which had to be kept as part of the ceremonial law. Jesus’ brethren, who did not understand the purpose of His first coming, told Him that this was the time that He should present Himself as their all-conquering Messiah. This was what they had always been waiting for! But Jesus replied unto them, “My time is not yet come: but your time is always ready” (John 7:6). Jesus had to reject His brethren’s suggestion to go to Jerusalem openly. It was not because He feared the Jews and lacked the courage to confront them or be confronted by them. It was because Jesus’ time was not yet come and He always awaited God’s timing. He never did anything of His own will.

Jesus’ brothers and disciples were able to go to Jerusalem openly at any time, for possibly no one would take notice of them. Their lives were not in danger. But for Jesus, “the Jews sought to kill him” (John 7:1). [This had started one and a half years before, during the second Passover of Jesus’ ministry, when the Jews sought to slay Him. The reason was because Jesus had healed a man at Bethesda on the Sabbath and, at the same time, He claimed to be equal with God (John 5:16-18).] However, it was still about six months before the predetermined time of His death. God had His divinely appointed time and Jesus could not place Himself in such a perilous situation when it could be avoided. His time was not yet come. Therefore Jesus had to be careful, for He was on a mission – He was out to fulfil God’s will. He exercised His human responsibility by not risking premature arrest and death at the hands of His enemies before God’s appointed time. Jesus later did fulfil all righteousness and attended the feast, “not openly, but as it were in secret” (John 7:10).

Jesus sought only to do God’s will, and we must follow His example. We may want many things in life to happen instantly; yet, though it may be in God’s will, now may not be His divinely appointed time. Our impatience and lack of diligence in seeking God’s will may make us question God and ask why He has not allowed or granted our heart’s desires. But let us not question and instead be more like Christ. Let us always actively seek the Father’s will and pray that ours may be the same as His.

Thought: Am I actively seeking God’s will and timing in all aspects of my life?
Prayer: O Lord, help me be more like Christ and seek Thy divinely appointed timing.