Bible Study – 2/21/19

Growing from this Place Subject: Growing when it seems like you’re running out of time

In this week’s edition of Growing from this Place Bible Study, Pastor Jonathan McKnight explores the ideology of time. But in that, he draws an all-to-familiar perspective of identifying that oftentimes, we find ourselves in situations where we’re waiting on God for or to do something, but it seems like we are running out of time. He begins the study with proposing some questions that appear to surface when it seems like nothing is happening and we feel as though time is running out:

  • Has God forgotten me?
  • What do I do now?
  • What do I do when it seems like time is running out and time becomes my enemy?
  • What do I do with what I’m supposed to birth when time is against me?
  • How much time do I have?
  • How do I handle my situation when it seems like time is running out?

Pastor McKnight follows up these highly-probable questions with very insightful and actionable answers that can help us overcome fear and worry that typically get in the way of our faith, trust and patience in God. He identifies that we need to begin to monitor what people do with our time. We often stifle our own growth in life by devoting too much of our time to people that don’t value our time and keep us stagnant. He also expresses that we need to be more proactive and not reactive towards God. He states, “Waiting on God is one thing, but making a move towards God is another.”

Pastor McKnight expounds on this concept of “making a move towards God” by providing a Biblical reference that exemplifies the very fabric of this idea. He takes a look at the Book of Mark, Chapter 7, where we discover a mother who sought out Jesus to seek His help in healing her daughter who had an unclean spirit. Instead of staying with the circumstance that her daughter was dealing with, she took it upon herself to seek out the source for her restoration.

However, she is met with some opposition from our Savior, when He explains to her that what she came looking for, it was not yet the TIME for her to receive. With her being a Syrophenician and not that of an Israelite, Jesus simply proclaimed that His provisions of healing and deliverance were set for the children of Israel to receive first for an appointed time before it was to be released to other nations abroad. After her supplication, Jesus states in Mark 7, verse 27,

“But Jesus said unto her, Let the children (of Israel, God’s chosen people) first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.”

At this point, many would give up and turn away in shame, but realizing the moment that she was in and that TIME was of the essence, the mother’s faith altered the course of Jesus’s purpose by expressing that, “yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.” It is with this showcase of faith and having the presence of mind to not be denied, the Lord was astonished with her words that He essentially healed her daughter.

In conclusion, Pastor McKnight offers some pointers on what to do to help us understand and recognize the season that we’re in at different times in our lives. He expresses that,

  • When we’re running out of time, we have to be in the place where God is not looking for us, but we have to look for Him (understanding the power of the search).
  • We need not to spend more time searching for the opinions and answers from others, than going to the Source for answers.
  • We need to seek wise council. We will be able to identify what is wise council by the marker of God behind it.
  • We have to walk in the posture of humility.
  • We have to remove things (as well as people) that are draining us and hindering us from getting what God has for us (e.g. evil spirits, laziness, vexations). If the devil can’t get you, he will go for someone you love. (St. John 10:10)
  • We have to recognize what time it is and what season it is in our lives.
  • We have to understand that it is more important to get the Source than to stay with the circumstance and waste time.

Scripture Reference
St. Mark 13:24-30; St. John 10:10