“Hope Beyond Despair: Working On God’s Divine Plan!”

“Hope Beyond Despair: Working On God’s Divine Plan!”(Lk.13:31-33).
It sounds stranger than fiction that of all people, “some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you?’” We can give those Pharisees some credit for having concern for Jesus’ life.
Whatever their motive, those Pharisees were not in any way acting in the best interest of Jesus. Jesus was a storm rocking their boat and they wanted calm waters to sail with tranquility.
We are the more flabbergasted with Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees, “Go and tell that fox…” Why would Jesus, of all people call a ruler, “fox?”
The fox may be a sly animal, but as a dog specie it is an animal of prey, hunting and eating other animals. Herod confessed that he killed John the Baptist(Lk.9:9), and together with Pontius Pilate and the Gentiles he conspired against Jesus. Unfortunately for them their conspiracy was in the plan of God(Acts4:27-28).
What we glean from the text, which is worthy for our edification is that when it is in the plan of God humans can neither hasten nor delay it.
What will be will be, and at God’s appointed time; which is always the right time.
God is never late, but he is never earlier than the right time – Karios time!
Jesus talked about the urgency, necessity and importance of doing the work he had to do, up to the appointed time. Nobody and no circumstances could rush him as the Pharisees were prompting.
God’s time is the right time! Neither the cajoling, placating words of those Pharisees nor the threat of Herod – if it was true – could induce him to act contrary to God’s time. The place and the time for his death was sculptured on stone and could not be humanly altered.
Take home lesson: Pray for a discerning spirit so as to walk and work according to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Weekend prayer: Thy will O LORD not mine, I will obey. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.