The God of Just in Time

When I woke up on Monday, my first thought was, “God, I don’t see any way the books can get here in time for the Bible Study tomorrow, but I am choosing to believe you will do it.”

According to my publisher, the books had just been shipped a couple of days before and they were in transit, far from their needed destination of Santa Rosa, CA.  It was extremely important to me that they were here in time for the launch of a Bible Study I was teaching to some 50 women.  I am new to Santa Rosa, and I desired to make a good impression for my first public speaking in this area.

I believed the books would come because shortly before they were sent to the printers an intercessor named Dara told me she saw a manuscript with the words “expedite” stamped on every page.  This was significant because she didn’t realize my editor had to stamp every page of the manuscript before it would be sent to the printer.  Dara’s communication of her vision gave me complete confidence the books would be here in time to pass out at the first Bible Study.

But, faith in theory and faith in reality are two very different things.

Each hour that ticked by Monday made faith in theory a whole lot more fun than faith in reality. I began to make an alternate plan in my mind:  “I guess we can copy the first chapter.”  I began to second guess my confidence based on Dara’s word in prayer.  Maybe I had misinterpreted?  All the “what if’s” flew forward and threatened to rob my peace.

At 3:45, I said to my friend, “If they don’t come within the hour, it will be too late for tomorrow.”

At that moment, I looked down at my phone and realized I had gotten a call from a number I didn’t recognize.  I listened to the message and sure enough, it was from the trucking company wanting to schedule a deliver for Wednesday afternoon.

The only problem was the Bible Study started Tuesday morning.

But, I decided to call them back just to see where the books were….just in case!

When I called and asked about the book’s location, they told me, Santa Rosa.  I got excited and asked if they could move their shipment to 8:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. They said no, the drivers didn’t start until 9 a.m.

Then a light bulb went on in my head:  “Could I come and pick up a couple of boxes?”

They checked and came back with a resounding yes.

God truly is a God of Just in Time.

At 6 p.m., I found myself with two boxes of books in my car, all ready to take to the first Bible Study in the morning.

I know the God of just in time.  I find him in the Bible as the Israelites stood at the water’s edge as the Egyptian chariots hunted them down.  I find him in my own experiences over and over; such as my desire to sell our house before we had to buy our new house.  We ended up signing a contract to sell in our kitchen right before we signed loaned papers in our living room.

My niece, Lindsey, knows the God of just in time too, as she desired to have a natural birth rather than a C-section; she went into labor 15 minutes before her surgery.  I kept telling her to believe the “God of just in time.”  He answered her fervent prayer and the deep desire of her heart.

The question I need to answer for myself is why I allow my circumstances to change my mind about God’s ability to follow through on his promise.

Why is it easier to doubt and fret than to believe?

What is it about faith that is so hard?

Hebrews reminds us, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”  We are also told, “Faith is being sure of what I hope for and certain of what I cannot see (Hebrews 11:1,6).

This is the challenge:  faith asks us to believe God’s heart and character over our earthly circumstances.

It’s not easy, but after enough times of seeing “The God of Just in Time” move heaven and earth, I am determined to keep my spiritual eyes open and close my mind to seeking to figure it out in the earthly realm.

What about you?  I’d love to hear your stories of how you’ve gotten to know “The God of Just in Time” too!