Love in the Nick of Time?
Last week an old Bonnie Raitt song kept playing in my mind. The song talks about a couple of different people longing for things and being scared to run out of time before their dreams are fulfilled. And it ends with the singer finding true and lasting love in the nick of time. That line is a tag that plays over and over at the end of the song: Love in the nick of time.
Psalm 107 talks about how God rescues His people - and in The Message He does it in the nick of time. Some were wanderers and others were in dark prisons. Others were foolish and others were afraid. And the psalmist says that when they cried out to God in their despair and distress, when they were scared to run out of time, He rescued them with love in the nick of time. And He not only rescued them but blessed them with food, light, wisdom and courage - and love. Verse 43 says "Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord." Love in the nick of time.
Isn't that what happened for us when Christ came as a baby in a manger to be the Savior of the world? We were rescued by love in the nick of time. I kept thinking about this as I thought of the song and pondered His coming to earth as a baby during this season of Christmas. But He kept saying "My love came in the fullness of time - and that was even better!" That made me think of Galatians 4:4 which says "But when the time had fully come, God sent His son..." Christ came to rescue the wanderers, set the captives free, bring truth, strengthen the fearful, and love the world in the fullness of time.
I asked for Him to explain the difference between "nick of time" and "fullness of time" and He did. First I saw a picture of a drowning man going down for the last time. Just in the nick of time a lifeguard reaches him and saves him. And I saw James Stewart and Grace Kelly in "Rear Window" calling for help in the nick of time to save Miss Lonely Heart from her suicide attempt. And I saw myself in rush hour traffic looking away from the sunrise and looking forward just in time to see the brake lights in front of me - in the nick of time to avoid a collision. These rescues were desperate moments salvaged by intervention at the last possible moment. Surely that is what God does for us, isn't it? But is it a picture of what He did when He sent Christ to earth? "But when the time had fully come..."
Fullness of time pictures began to come to me. I saw a farmer plowing, then planting, then rain falling to water the earth. Then he waited and watched until he reaped a bountiful harvest. I saw a baker measuring ingredients and mixing and pouring batter into prepared pans. I saw him put the pans in the pre-heated oven and waiting and watching until the cakes were golden brown. He then removed them and cooled them and iced them to serve them. And I saw a woman's body changing and growing through her pregnancy as she prepared the baby's room and chose the perfect name and waited for the nine months to end. And I saw her joyful but tear-stained face as she held that baby for the very first time. And then I got it.
Rescue comes in the nick of time - we wouldn't need rescue if we weren't in a desperate and dangerous situation in need of immediate help, would we? I am so grateful each time I receive His loving touch in the nick of time - I do a lot of crying out and finding myself rescued!! I love His love in the nick of time! And being a sinner separated from God is a desperate and dangerous situation and Christ's coming to earth to save us was a rescue mission. But it was so much more! It wasn't just an intervention when man cried out in distress. It was the culmination of an eternity of planning for the redemption of the world that didn't even realize it was in danger. It was a crop ready to be harvested. It was a cake ready for a wedding feast. It was a baby ready for it's mother's touch. It was love in the fullness of time.
On that starry night so many years ago, in the little town of Bethlehem, a baby was born in the fullness of time. From before the beginning of time, Father, Son and Spirit had planned the event so that when the time was exactly right, their plan for the redemption of the world could unfold to mankind. They plowed and planted. They measured and poured. They grew in joyful expectation as they prepared and waited. Their plans and preparation and waiting had meaning and purpose beyond our understanding. And their love came down to earth in the fullness of time. Love in the fullness of time.
Luke 2:10-14 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Peace and good will to you today. And may you experience His love in the fullness of time in every way as you trust that His plans and preparation and waiting have purpose beyond your understanding. Merry Christmas!
Amy
Psalm 107 talks about how God rescues His people - and in The Message He does it in the nick of time. Some were wanderers and others were in dark prisons. Others were foolish and others were afraid. And the psalmist says that when they cried out to God in their despair and distress, when they were scared to run out of time, He rescued them with love in the nick of time. And He not only rescued them but blessed them with food, light, wisdom and courage - and love. Verse 43 says "Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord." Love in the nick of time.
Isn't that what happened for us when Christ came as a baby in a manger to be the Savior of the world? We were rescued by love in the nick of time. I kept thinking about this as I thought of the song and pondered His coming to earth as a baby during this season of Christmas. But He kept saying "My love came in the fullness of time - and that was even better!" That made me think of Galatians 4:4 which says "But when the time had fully come, God sent His son..." Christ came to rescue the wanderers, set the captives free, bring truth, strengthen the fearful, and love the world in the fullness of time.
I asked for Him to explain the difference between "nick of time" and "fullness of time" and He did. First I saw a picture of a drowning man going down for the last time. Just in the nick of time a lifeguard reaches him and saves him. And I saw James Stewart and Grace Kelly in "Rear Window" calling for help in the nick of time to save Miss Lonely Heart from her suicide attempt. And I saw myself in rush hour traffic looking away from the sunrise and looking forward just in time to see the brake lights in front of me - in the nick of time to avoid a collision. These rescues were desperate moments salvaged by intervention at the last possible moment. Surely that is what God does for us, isn't it? But is it a picture of what He did when He sent Christ to earth? "But when the time had fully come..."
Fullness of time pictures began to come to me. I saw a farmer plowing, then planting, then rain falling to water the earth. Then he waited and watched until he reaped a bountiful harvest. I saw a baker measuring ingredients and mixing and pouring batter into prepared pans. I saw him put the pans in the pre-heated oven and waiting and watching until the cakes were golden brown. He then removed them and cooled them and iced them to serve them. And I saw a woman's body changing and growing through her pregnancy as she prepared the baby's room and chose the perfect name and waited for the nine months to end. And I saw her joyful but tear-stained face as she held that baby for the very first time. And then I got it.
Rescue comes in the nick of time - we wouldn't need rescue if we weren't in a desperate and dangerous situation in need of immediate help, would we? I am so grateful each time I receive His loving touch in the nick of time - I do a lot of crying out and finding myself rescued!! I love His love in the nick of time! And being a sinner separated from God is a desperate and dangerous situation and Christ's coming to earth to save us was a rescue mission. But it was so much more! It wasn't just an intervention when man cried out in distress. It was the culmination of an eternity of planning for the redemption of the world that didn't even realize it was in danger. It was a crop ready to be harvested. It was a cake ready for a wedding feast. It was a baby ready for it's mother's touch. It was love in the fullness of time.
On that starry night so many years ago, in the little town of Bethlehem, a baby was born in the fullness of time. From before the beginning of time, Father, Son and Spirit had planned the event so that when the time was exactly right, their plan for the redemption of the world could unfold to mankind. They plowed and planted. They measured and poured. They grew in joyful expectation as they prepared and waited. Their plans and preparation and waiting had meaning and purpose beyond our understanding. And their love came down to earth in the fullness of time. Love in the fullness of time.
Luke 2:10-14 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Peace and good will to you today. And may you experience His love in the fullness of time in every way as you trust that His plans and preparation and waiting have purpose beyond your understanding. Merry Christmas!
Amy
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