In God’s Time

Mark 3:7-12

http://wwwmigrate.usccb.org/bible/mark/3:7

“Are we there yet?”

The familiar refrain from children wondering if a journeyhas been making any progress rings fairly true for all of us. When my childrenwere little I handed them my watch, letting them answer the “there yet”question for me. I turned the tables on them. I informed them that our drivewould take 10 minutes, 30 minutes, etc., and then I would ask them how muchmore time until we arrived. After repeatedly asking for updates, whoever of thesix kids had the watch would say to me, “You just asked that!”

Today, kids have GPS on their toys, and parents can set themup with a moving map to eliminate the need for either time or distancequestions. The children are fully equipped, at even the youngest of ages, tofollow along, eagerly reporting on bends in the road, heavy traffic, and thelocation of the next MacDonald’s. Their questions shift from, “Are we there yet” to “Can we stop at the MacDonald’s?”

What tools has God given us to answer our journey questions?Are we ever satisfied with the information we have? Can we wait? Are wesatisfied with where we are going?

Mark gives us a hint. When the crowds press in, make sureyou have a boat. (3:9) When you want to gather folks for a meeting, climb amountain. (3:13). But, beware of going home, because your relatives will thinkyou are out of your mind. (3:21)

That doesn’t seem very helpful, but it is.

The way a child’s mind works is quite often how our adultminds work when we deal with God. We get exasperated rather quickly and makefairly stupid conclusions about what God is up to.

Folks pressed in on Jesus because he was healing them. Wordgot out fairly rapidly, because Jesus repaired people on a grand scale. Ourreading of what Jesus told the disciples to do – have a boat ready – followswhat we assume the issue was about crushing him, and touching him. The issuereally was about timing, and the dag-nabbed blabber mouthed demons.

And whenever uncleanspirits saw him they would fall down before him

and shout, “You arethe Son of God.”

He warned them sternlynot to make him known. (MK 3:11-12)

It’s all about the timing. In God’s time.

We take our children on journeys, and when they are youngthey come with us, often not knowing where we are headed. They may have to stopand go to the bathroom, but the journey still beckons. We have a plan, and we’retaking our children with us.

God’s plan follows a similar path, albeit much moremulti-layered, and cosmically connected to everything else that’s gone on,going on, and going to happen in the universe.

Get a boat. Have a mountain ready nearby. Expect to becalled a knucklehead by your family. Be prepared for God’s plans, and when hehands you a watch, a GPS, and a Trip-Tik explaining everything that you’llencounter on the way, expect to be asked to report on the trip.