“The Fullness of Time!"

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Gal. 4:4-6 ESV)

Paul’s argument in chapter 4 is a continuation of chapter 3. Paul was arguing that about faith, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”(3:36) “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”(3:29). Paul continues his argument that because we have been adopted as children through faith, that the Gentiles and Jews are equal heirs and are equal in the sight of God. Then in verses 4 and 5, some of my favorite verses of this letter, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,  to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."

I love this phrase, “When the fullness of the time had come …”  So many times, in our busy lives, we get frustrated or worried that God isn’t or hasn’t listened to our prayer requests. In reality, it is not yet ‘the fullness of time.’ God is not yet ready to step in and resolve the situation.  It doesn’t mean things aren’t going according to His plans; it just means that “the fullness of time” is not here yet. When we are in the middle of a problem, crisis, or we are so frustrated that the outcome of a situation isn’t turning out the way we think it should, we really need to take a step back and realize that the universe does NOT revolve around us and what we want and when we want it to happen.

The proper time to understand this truth is now, and NOT when we are going through a crisis. Most of us do not make good decisions or listen well to proper Biblical truths when we are in emotional turmoil. We just can’t make sense of things; our minds keep jumping from one topic to another, we don’t sleep well, and we get physically and emotionally exhausted. When that happens, the last thing we can process is new information; we tend to go back to what we already know and react based on that ‘stored’ knowledge. That’s why it’s critical to know God’s truths before we find ourselves in the middle of a problem. Once we have time to make God’s Word, and the truths it contains, part of us, we are much better prepared to address issues.

So, don’t read verse 4 too quickly. Realize that the Apostle Paul, of course, was telling these new Christians that God’s timing is always perfect, and we can trust in that truth. Paul was discussing God’s timing in bringing Jesus into the world to provide salvation to all who would trust in Him. However, the overall biblical truth is that God’s timing is perfect for all things. Here, Paul was discussing faith in Jesus versus confidence in the Mosaic Law, but the principle remains true. God is in control, and His timing is perfect.

So, my fellow followers of our Savior, make this truth part of your life, heart, and mind. Make it a part of who you are. Our confidence is in our God, His mercy, kindness, and grace. We have confidence that God knows what He is doing, and His timing is perfect. Trust in this truth, and your heart will not be so overwhelmed when you face problems that will undoubtedly come.

"Living in Grace is not about what I can do, but about what Jesus has already done!"