antonio1)GOD IS NOT LATE

Before we begin today, let’s take a moment to quiet our hearts and invite the presence of the One who holds time in His hands.

​Heavenly Father, we come before You today with hearts that are sometimes heavy with the weight of waiting. You know the prayers we’ve whispered in the dark, and You know the silent tears of frustration when things don't happen on our schedule. We ask right now that You would still our anxious minds. Open our eyes to see Your hand at work in the delays. Remind us that Your silence is not Your absence. Let this message bring hope to the weary and strength to the one who feels forgotten. We surrender our calendars and our 'some days' to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have you ever felt like you're stuck in the waiting room of life? Like you’ve sent out your prayers, expressed your deepest desires, and now… you’re just watching the clock? Minutes turn into hours, hours into days, days into weeks, and sometimes, weeks into years. And with every tick, a quiet whisper begins to echo in your mind: "Is God… late?"

It’s a question many of us secretly ask, even if we’d never voice it aloud. I know I have, and there are times when I have asked God, “why not me?” We look at our circumstances—the job we haven't landed, the healing that hasn't come, the relationships that haven't mended, the breakthrough that feels perpetually out of reach. And in our human impatience, we start to doubt. We wonder if we missed a sign, if our faith wasn't strong enough, or worst of all, if God simply… forgot.

But here’s the profound truth, a truth that can anchor your soul in the storm of waiting: God is not late. He is never early, and He is never late. He is always, perfectly, on time. His timing isn't dictated by our calendars or our anxiety, but by His perfect, all-knowing wisdom. Sometimes we may think of this as mere cliches because we have heard it all before. But I am here to tell you today that God is anything but a cliché. He is intentional and deliberate, and no amount griping, complaining, or feeling sorry for ourselves can change that. His timing is His alone. 

 His Timing vs. Our Timing.

We oftentimes get so impatient with the mundane things of this world. How do you normally feel when you are waiting to catch a bus that is off schedule? or a flight at the airport that is delayed? How about waiting in line at checkout at the supermarket? Our present lifestyles are not compatible with waiting because we are constantly on the go!

 Think about the stories woven throughout the fabric of scripture. Time and again, God’s people faced seemingly impossible delays.

Take Abraham and Sarah. God promised them a son, an heir through whom nations would come. But years passed. Sarah grew old. Abraham grew old. Humanly speaking, the window closed. They even tried to "help" God out by having a child through Hagar. Yet, at precisely the right moment, when it seemed most absurd, Sarah conceived, and Isaac, meaning "laughter," was born. A testimony that God’s clock operates on a different, divine rhythm. (Genesis 18:10-14, Genesis 21:1-3)

Or consider Joseph. Sold into slavery by his own brothers, falsely accused, thrown into prison for years, forgotten by those he helped. From a human perspective, his life seemed utterly derailed. Every turn was a delay, every circumstance a setback. Yet, God was meticulously orchestrating every moment. When the Famine hit, when Pharaoh needed an interpreter, when the time was exactly right, Joseph was elevated to the second most powerful man in Egypt, not just for his own good, but to save his entire family and countless others. (Genesis 37-50)

Joseph's story isn't just about rising to power; it’s a masterclass in divine timing, a powerful reminder that even in the deepest pits of despair, God is working, preparing, positioning. He wasn't late for Joseph; He was building something bigger, something redemptive.

Our human impatience often stems from a limited perspective. We see the immediate struggle, the empty space, the unfulfilled longing. But God sees the entire tapestry. He sees the lessons we need to learn, the character He needs to forge within us, the perfect conditions He needs to align, and the greater good that will come from our waiting.

The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." This isn't just about a time to sow and a time to reap, but a divinely appointed rhythm for every single aspect of our lives.

Think about it like this: A master gardener doesn't rush the harvest. He knows precisely when to plant, when to water, and when the fruit is perfectly ripe for picking. If he picks too early, the fruit is bitter. If he waits too long, it spoils. God is the ultimate Master Gardener of our lives. He knows the perfect moment for our harvest.

So, what do we do in the waiting? How do we endure when every fiber of our being screams for the answer, for the relief, for the breakthrough?

Rest in His Sovereignty: Remind yourself that God is in control. His plans are perfect, even when they don’t align with our immediate desires. (Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him...")

Cultivate Patience and Endurance: Waiting isn't passive. It's an active exercise in faith. It builds perseverance. (James 1:2-4 - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds… because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.")

Seek Him in the Midst of Waiting: Don’t let the delay disconnect you from God. Instead, let it draw you closer. Use this time to deepen your relationship, to learn His voice, to understand His character. (Psalm 27:14 - "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.")

When Jesus came to raise Lazarus from the dead, He waited until Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Four days! From a human perspective, utterly, unequivocally too late. But Jesus’ delay wasn't a sign of indifference; it was a prelude to a greater glory, a greater display of His power, so that God would be glorified. (John 11:39-44)

The Lazarus story has always been one of my favourites because it encapsulates the circle of despair to joy. I just want to share a testimony with you today:

For a long time, I lived my life by a stopwatch. I had a specific timeline for when my career should take off, when my finances should stabilize, when I should start a family, and when my deepest prayers should be answered. When those deadlines passed in silence, I didn’t just feel disappointed; I felt forgotten. I thought I did everything right. I went to university, I was a model student, and I did not get involved with the “wrong crowd” as I was repeatedly warned by my grandmother. 

​I remember sitting in the "waiting room" of my life for years, watching everyone else get called forward. Most of my university classmates were employed in their chosen field and their careers were blossoming. It felt like God was stuck in traffic, or worse, that He had simply moved on to people with more urgent needs.

​There was a specific season where everything seemed to bottom out at once. I was exhausted from trying to "help" God speed things up. I was weary from the mental math of trying to figure out how He was going to fix it. I kept telling Him, "Lord, if You don't move by next month, or next year, then…”

​Next week, next month, next year came and went. Not much changed. I was employed, but I had envisioned a better job for myself; I had envisioned a better car, and not having to pay rent. 

​But in that silence, I realized something profound: My panic was based on the assumption that God’s clock is synchronized with my calendar. 

I spoke with a dear friend of mine who was supremely anchored in Christ, and I was truly encouraged. I began to dive deeper into the Word, and I kept landing on the story of Lazarus. When Jesus heard His friend was sick, He didn't rush. He stayed where He was for two more days. By the time He arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days. To everyone watching, Jesus wasn't just late—He was too late.

​But Jesus wasn't working toward a healing; He was working toward a resurrection.

​I realized that when God seems "late" by our standards, it’s often because He is preparing a miracle that is bigger than the one we asked for. He isn't interested in just meeting our deadlines; He is interested in manifesting His glory in a way that leaves no doubt about who performed the work.

​The verse that became my anchor is found in Habakkuk 2:3:

​"For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."

​This verse reminded me that there is an appointed time. Jesus considers me as His friend, and if He did it for Lazarus, he will do it for me, and for You.  If it hasn't happened yet, it’s not because God is slow; it’s because the time isn't "appointed" yet.

​Looking back on those seasons of "delay," I can see the fingerprints of God’s perfect timing everywhere.

​The job I didn't get at 27, fresh out of university, would have kept me from the calling I found at 29 to rededicate myself to the Lord.

​The doors that stayed shut protected me from a space into which I wasn't ready to walk.

​God was never late. He was right on time, working behind the scenes to align my character with my calling.

​If you are in a waiting room today, take heart. The silence of God is not the absence of God. He is not stalling; He is preparing. He doesn't use a stopwatch; He uses a Master Plan. Trust the Appointed Time.

What looks like "late" to us, might just be God setting the stage for a grander revelation of His power and His faithfulness in your life.

So, if you’re in a season of waiting, feeling the ache of unfulfilled longings, remember this: God is not late. His timing is divine. His plans are perfect. And He is working all things together for your good, for His glory.

Trust the process. Trust the Gardener. And know that when His moment arrives, it will be absolutely, undeniably, perfectly on time.

Let us pray:

As we close this message, I want to pray specifically for those of you who feel like your time is running out. If you are tired of being patient, let this prayer be your anchor.

​"Lord, I pray for the person watching this who feels like they are 'too late'—the one who thinks they've missed their chance, or that You’ve passed them by. I ask that You pour out a 'peace that surpasses all understanding' upon them right now. Give them the grace to trust Your heartbeat when they cannot see Your hand. Strengthen their knees so they can stand firm while they wait for the breakthrough. I pray that they would feel Your presence in the hallway of the 'not yet.' Remind them that if You haven't done it yet, You are simply not finished yet. We declare today that Your timing is perfect, Your love is constant, and Your promises are 'Yes and Amen.' May they sleep tonight in the rest that comes from knowing the Creator of time is never hurried and never hindered. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen."

Thank you for journeying with me through this Anchored In Hope platform. 

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