Today’s scripture: Isaiah 8:1-15 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Jeff Cope):
Have you ever been amazed that something seemed to happen at just the perfect time? In fact, it may have been something you’ve been praying and waiting for when, all of a sudden, it happened. Only then do you see that no other time would have been right.
We had an old foster dog named Doe staying with us. When she came to us, she had heartworms that presumably caused a murmur. For a while, she was undergoing treatment for heartworms and taking other medications for her heart.
It was great to see her finally get through treatment so she could attend events and find her forever home. Everyone loved looking at her, but no one wanted to adopt her — partly because she would howl at my wife the whole time she was there. Doe went to event after event after event. Nothing. This went on for a good 6-8 months, and we were really worried for Doe.
Then, out of the blue, a family adopted her. We were so elated for her! This had to be her perfect forever home and was meant to be! Not so fast though. She was returned just a few days later. Did you ever have a false start like that?
Finally, we ended up getting an application for her that looked really good — a single guy who wanted a companion. It turns out this was the perfect situation for her. Those two are inseparable today. He takes her to work everyday, and she basically lives the life of a princess. He has said that she is the best thing that’s ever happened to him. That made my heart very happy hearing that.
From Isaiah 8:14, we see “a stone that causes people to stumble.” I think more often than not the “stone” God uses is delay. Perfection takes time to line up, and God will make you wait for it whether you like it or not. But you can bet it will be worth it!
Thought for the day: Think about something in your life that came about exactly at the right time — be it a job, a relationship, or even a pet.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.