Perfect Timing

Galatians 1:15-16
When God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man.

It’s a difficult concept to grasp, that God has set us apart from birth and called us by His grace. We tend to think of the salvation “transaction” as one based upon our choosing Him, and neglect the fact that He has also chosen us. I will not even pretend to understand how that all works, and that is not the point here today.
What I love about this passage is how God makes it very clear that He reveals His Son to each and every person at just the right time – a time of His choosing. If you know the story of Paul’s conversion (his name was Saul at the time), you will know that he was converted after playing a vital role in the stoning to death of Steven, a Christian. Paul was taking it upon himself to persecute any and every Christian he could, all in the name of God! Finally, Jesus revealed Himself to him on the road to Damascus, at just the perfect time, exactly when it pleased Him to do so. He could have revealed Himself before the death of Steven, and yet He did not, for whatever reason. I wonder if Paul ever thought about that, wishing Jesus had revealed Himself to him earlier.
I think you and I are the same way. We spend a lot of time wishing our past had not happened. “If only I had known Jesus just 2 years sooner.” “If only my husband had shared with me before we were married.” “If only I had understood what Jesus meant by _______ last year.” “If only…” Speculation is not going to do us any good. What has past is past, and it has become a part of who we are today.
God can reveal Himself to us at any time, and yet He chose just the right time, in order that our experiences would come together with His great power and make us the person He desires us to be. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? I marvel at the idea that all the good stuff and the bad stuff go together to make me the exact person God wanted. Of course, He’s still working, but for now, I am who I need to be, and I trust that God will continue working to make me who I will need to be next week, next year, 10 years from now... And so it is with you. You are who you are today because of your past, and that is exactly who God wants you to be. Let’s grow from here, following Christ to do what each of us, alone, is equipped to do.