All Times Soon

One of the most memorable scenes for me in C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia is found in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Lucy has just seen Aslan in the attic of the magician's house. As Aslan begins to leave, he tells Lucy that they will meet again soon. Lucy asks "Please, Aslan, what do you call soon?" Aslan replies "I call all times soon." It seems to be one of the most devestating lines in the series.

There is so much that we want from God, and we want it, like, yesterday. There are so many times that I think that I'm ready for the next step in life and...nothing happens. I'm still stuck in the same postion. And God doesn't seem in any too big a hurry to get me out. He also calls all times soon. I used to find this idea very frustrating. Like God wasn't really paying attention to my needs and would get around to me whenever He felt like it.

My perception of this line changed somewhat last Sunday. We were studying 2 Peter Chapter 3 and two verses leaped out at me and reminded me of this scene:

"But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2nd Peter 3:8-9 NKJV)

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise. In fact, He is patient with us. He is waiting on us to grow and mature in order that He make take us to the next level. He's the one saying "Will this poor human ever be ready to move on?". If there is anything worse than being stuck in one place, it's being pushed on before we are ready. Just another way that God is so good to us.

So now when I reflect on the term "all times soon", I try not to let impatience rule me, but thankfulness. Thankfulness that an Almighty God is willing to wait for me with patience and love to follow Him to where He wants me to be. No pushing, no rushing, just a gentle leading. For my God, all times are soon, and that is a beautiful thing.