JULY 11 – ACCEPTABLE TIME!

“But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord, in the acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of your mercy, hear me in the truth of your Salvation” (Psalm 69:13).

This period of grace is the period in which mercy and grace of God are surrounding you. God is gracious towards you. Jesus said, “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you” (II Corinthians 6:2). See what the Scripture says about this. God commands the acceptable time before the onset of famine. Egypt was prosperous and perfect for seven years before the famine arrived.

During that acceptable time, as Joseph had advised, Pharaoh had built barns and had preserved the grains in them. Imagine, what would have happened during the famine if Pharaoh had not made use of the returns of the acceptable time. He and all his people would have perished. Is it not?

The famine arrives after the acceptable time. Has not God announced, “That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11). So, let us receive the mercy and grace required for the soul during this acceptable time, from God. Paul the Apostle writes, “…redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16).

Once, a young man was unexpectedly involved in a murder case. The court awarded a death sentence to him. But, the Governor of the country considered his mercy petition and came to know that he was innocent. The Governor took the papers related to his release and went to the prison to meet him.

That was the acceptable time and the time of grace for that man. But he failed to realise the same and began to shout angrily at the Governor who had come there dressed like a pastor. He poured out all the bitterness he had in him, over the Governor. He shouted, “Get out. I don’t want to talk with you” and saying this, he tore the papers which the Governor had brought with him. The Governor moved out of the prison very sadly.

The prison authorities came to the man and said, “Why did you speak such harsh words to him? Don’t you know that he is the Governor? Don’t you know that he had come here to hand you over the pardon letter?” The man was very sad in knowing things and while walking towards the gallows, he said, “I am not facing this punishment for the charges of murder but, the real reason for this punishment is that I failed to make use of the acceptable time offered to me.”

To meditate: “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him” (Isaiah 53:3).