Always On Time

Once again, I’ve heard the same statements or ideas multiple times the past week – most recently today at church at our women’s luncheon.  So I feel compelled to expound on it.  

First, our pastor’s mother (Missionary Karen Ming) spoke at our church for the Mother’s Day service last Sunday.  She made the comment that we need to “trust the process, even when you don’t understand.”  It’s so easy for us to get impatient and want everything NOW.  We don’t like having to wait.  Then she referenced a statement from earlier in the service having said “He’s always on time”.  She said that in her notes she had written “God is never late, but He’s never early.”  Hmmm, could that mean He’s always on time? She spoke about an Aunt that had prayed for 48 years for her son to be saved.  That’s a really long time to have to trust the process – to wait.  But her answer eventually came, that’s a lesson to remember – “don’t give up – God is never late.”      

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”  Philippians 1:6 (NLT)  

His completed work in our lives may not happen today or tomorrow or even sometime really soon – but it will continue until it is finally finished.  We just have to “trust the process.”   

Today at our luncheon our speaker, Mary Evans – who happens to be a powerful prayer warrior – spoke about prayers she’s seen answered quickly.  She was in the ministry with her pastor husband for over 50 years and has seen many prayers answered; but, I’m certain that not all were speedy.  I’m not quoting her, but she spoke of not giving up when you’re praying; and, I can’t remember for certain, but I do believe I recall her having used the statement that God is always on time.

That brings me to one of the devotionals I read earlier this week.  It was titled “Sudden” and the Bible reference was in Malachi 3.  Verse 1b (ERV) says:  “‘Then suddenly, the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple.’”  The author referenced how when Jesus arrived on the scene, it was a sudden occurrence – because the Jews weren’t expecting it; when His Holy Spirit arrived it was sudden; and, now and in the future we need to be prepared, because when He returns it will be sudden.  There are Bible references that tell us it will be like the blink of an eye (1 Cor. 15:52), it will be a surprise like a thief in the night (1 Thes. 5:2), it will not be at a time that anyone knows (Matt. 24:36 & 25:13).  The devotional goes on to say:  

“We don’t always understand His timing and His ways, but we can count on the fact that they make sense.  He is a very rational God with a very well crafted plan.  When we don’t understand what’s going on in life, we can know that He does.  

Be ready for God’s opportune times.  When He moves in your life, it may seem sudden.  To Him it isn’t sudden, of course, and He has timed His work well.  Even so, we sometimes miss what we’re seeking because we aren’t prepared to receive it.

Pray today for readiness.  Ask God to open your eyes to whatever He wants to do, whenever He wants to do it.  Ask Him to prepare you, to tune your antennas to His wavelength, to help you understand what He’s doing in your life.  Let His ‘suddenly’ find you ready & waiting.” *      

Considering that He is never late and He is never early, but that He is always on time, I had to wonder after reading that particular line in the devotional that I highlighted just above – how many times do we miss what we have been seeking?  We’re so busy wondering why He hasn’t answered our prayer when we wanted or how we wanted  – we just flat out miss Him.  It’s rather like when you’re playing ball with someone and you’re distracted so that when they throw the ball to you, you miss it – you weren’t prepared to receive it. 

So let’s remember that with God, what seems sudden to us isn’t sudden at all – it’s just God – not being late and not being early, but simply being on time.

“When you think it’s too late, God whispers, ‘I still have a plan.’”  Toby Mac 

God is Always On Time!

Written by Karran Martin – May 15, 2026

*The One Year Heaven On Earth Devotional by Chris Tiegreen

[All bold emphasis is mine]