Doing stand-up comedy is an art form.  Anyone can tell a joke, really.  But to do it well requires knowing exactly when to modulate your voice, arch that eyebrow, hold the breath, pause in the delivery and above all-wait for it.  The number one rule in comedy (or story-telling for that matter) is, don't ever jump the audience's reaction for they'll get there soon enough. In comedy, timing is everything.  As it is in showing up at a party, taking advantage of a sale, setting up the tension in a thriller, or hitting the freeway around quitting time.  For the best and most desirable of conclusions to occur for anything, timing is everything.  The Christian story of resurrection and redemption would not have happened had Jesus left the Gethsemane Garden before Judas arrived.  In fact, Jesus' death could not happen until certain things had taken place: people miraculously healed, outsiders brought back inside, the mentally ill made whole, the religious establishment put on notice, and the disciples prepared to receive the Holy Spirit.

God tells a childless couple, two people well beyond the child-bearing years they will have a miracle child "at the set time" and not a moment too soon or too late; Paul tells those dying for the faith that Jesus cleared the way for them to live everlasting life "at the right time," not a moment too soon or too late.  When we struggle with the stuff that happens to us in our day to day lives, we may not ever get answers we like to the questions we ask, but we can rest in the evidence God will give us just what we need exactly when we need it, not a moment too soon or too late-which means we may have to wait for it.  For no one wants to be the first one to show up for a party or the last one to hit the freeway at 5:01 PM, because timing is everything.

The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day.  He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground.  He said, ‘My lord, if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant.  Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.  Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’

 

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.  And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die.  But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.