CONNECTING POINT: God's Timing

In Luke 13, there are four scenarios, three parables, and one life story to help readers understand God’s timing better. I’ll be the first to admit that there are times when my faith is weak, and I have trouble trusting God’s plans as they unfold. It’s important to recall that chapters in the Bible are interrelated; they are “addresses” that assist us in finding certain passages. Interestingly, Luke 12 brings to our attention the unexpected return of Jesus Christ; we need to be prepared.

That theme continues into chapter 13, including the timing of a fig tree’s growth. “Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.  He said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ (Luke 13:6-9).

Point #1: The heart of God is seen through Jesus’s care and nurture; He gives second chances. God isn’t duplicitous or evil, desiring to annihilate people. He is patient and desires for people to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9); however, due to free will, people have a choice to reject salvation, resulting in eternal separation from God. We are living in the age of grace, but that window will close suddenly someday in the future. Be ready and make things right with God.

The second event includes another special miracle of Jesus, a crippled woman who was healed on the Sabbath. The Pharisees became enraged that Jesus would “work” on the day of rest. Timing again, I find this intriguing. Notice His response: “The Lord answered him, ‘You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?’ When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.” (Luke 13:15-17). As readers, we can ascertain the situation well; the critics of Jesus are building their case to send Jesus to the cross. An aspect of this event that we don’t always correlate includes that Jesus’s physical healing of people while present on earth was a precursor, part of His inauguration of the kingdom of God.

Point #2: At Christ’s second coming, those who are born again will be physically healed of diseases and infirmities forever, including death (1 Corinthians 15:52).

The third illustration Jesus speaks of includes a tiny mustard seed: “Then Jesus asked, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.’” (Luke 13:18-19).

The fourth illustration Jesus refers to is yeast. In other occurrences in the Bible, He speaks of the negative effects of hypocrisy acting like leaven. However, in this instance, a little yeast gradually works into a large batch of flour and is impossible to remove (Luke 13:20-21).

The third (mustard seed) and fourth illustration (yeast) are likened to the kingdom of God concerning timing.

Point #3: Small beginnings are often part of God building His kingdom. We can be encouraged that God’s timing is flawless.