When is the favourable time with God?
We can talk to God at any time. We don't need to wait until we are good enough or He is nice enough
Verse
For He says,
“In the time of My favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God's favour, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV
...Indeed, the "right time" is now... 2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT
Reflection
We’ve all been in that situation -- when is the right time? Finding the right moment to approach the boss for a raise, or to propose a project you have been quietly developing, or to have that difficult conversation or even to offer help to a lonely neighbour — we ‘umm’ and ‘ahh’ about the favoured moment.
That’s not all wrong. God’s timing is right — ours is hit and miss. So to prayerfully get a leading for God’s timing is good.
But we don’t need to do that with God Himself. We can talk to Him any time. And respond to Him any time! We don’t have to wait until we are good enough, or for a special day, or the right occasion to meet Him.
He is talking about God’s grace, God’s gifts and transforming power, working in our lives. Specifically, He links this to reconciliation. That can be us with God — we need to come back, make things right, live in a renewed relationship. Or with others. Things have gone wrong, there has been sin and offence, upset and hurt. We need to put it right, with general forgiveness and willingness to make amends. God’s grace is needed! But the good news is, God’s grace is just that... freely available. We don’t earn it, or wait in line for it.
Rather than waiting to see if we get it, Paul says, do what you need to do. And you will experience God joining you and helping you . The time to respond to God is always now.
“Now is the day of salvation” might be responding to God in that big but essential step of faith of receiving what Jesus has done for you and asking Him into your life as Saviour and Lord. That’s the first definition of salvation.
But God is working His salvation in other ways all the time. Every healing is a salvation. Seeing off that nagging fear or overcoming that persistent doubt -- you can call it deliverance or salvation, it’s all the same word in the Bible. Every “O God help!” moment invites God to save us, in that way that is presenting at that moment.
And that's the message — it's about seizing the moment. God always has more of His salvation for us. And "the right time is now".
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