I was recently in a discussion with a fellow regarding the topic of patience.

Moses spent 40 years in the Pharaoh’s courts. He apparently knew most of that time that he was to deliver Israel out of bondage. He killed the Egyptian, in part, because of his knowledge he would one day deliver them. Stephen explained, just prior to his martyrdom, the story of Moses. Stephen declared that Moses knew his calling from God made him the deliverer of Israel. (Acts 7: 24-25.) Moses presumed the Israelites would recognize him as the one promised to deliver them. He killed the Egyptian to identify himself to the Israelites. They were unimpressed, did not recognize him, and rejected his claim.

 

Seeing he had been rejected and betrayed by the Israelites, Moses fled for his life. (Acts 7: 26-29.)

 

Then, after another 40 years passed while he made a new life for himself in the wilderness, the “voice of the Lord” came to him and called him at last to perform as Israel’s deliverer. (Acts 7: 30-34.)

 

Moses knew his mission from his youth. But when he attempted on his own to begin that mission, his attempt failed. He was nearly killed for it and had to flee for his life.

 

After 40 years spent in the wilderness of Sinai, the time came and Moses was commissioned directly by the Lord to go forward.

 

WE control nothing. WE have no right to move the Lord’s hand. We may ask, but He alone commands. Timing is entirely the Lord’s. Although we may know what we have been assigned to do, it is the Lord alone who will decide when the assignment can be performed.

 

Christ wanted to begin His Father’s work at 12. (Luke 2: 41-49.)  It would be another 18 years before the Lord would be permitted to begin. In the interim, He “waited upon the Lord for the time of his ministry to come. And he served under his father, and he spake not as other men, neither could he be taught; for he needed not that any man should teach him. And after many years, the hour of his ministry drew nigh.” (JST-Matt. 3: 24-26.) Although fully prepared for “many years” before, the Lord “waited” on His Father for 18 years.

 

If Moses waited 40 years, and produced only disaster when he attempted to begin his mission early, and Christ waited “many years” for “the hour of his ministry to draw nigh,” then what possible reason can any of us give for refusing to submit in patience to the Lord’s timing for our  lives, mission, ministry, assignments and calling?

 

Among the many lessons of mortality, Christ learned patience. (Heb. 5: 8.) How arrogant must we be to presume we can tell better than the Lord when a blessing should come? How little understanding would we get if the Lord responded to our impatience and excused us from the necessity to first learn this noble trait of patience?