Sweet Timing

Read: Proverbs 3:5-6; Hebrews 13:20-21

“I can’t wait to taste maple syrup!” Brady said, smacking his lips.

Mom laughed. She was chaperoning his field trip to the nature center to see how maple syrup was made.

As they trudged behind their group, Brady sighed. “I wish I was invited to my teacher’s wedding.”

Mom was surprised. “Why do you want to go?”

Brady frowned. “What if I get married someday? I need to know how to do it!”

“If you do get married, it won’t be for a long time, Brady,” said Mom.

Brady bit his lip. “But what if I’m not ready when the time comes?”

The group stopped in front of a large sugar maple. They watched a man drill a hole in the tree and tap a wooden peg he called a spile into the hole. After several seconds, the sap began to drip, and the class formed a line to get a taste.

“What do you remember about the temperatures needed to collect sap?” Mom asked Brady.

“It has to be twenty degrees Fahrenheit at night and forty-five degrees during the day, in the spring.”

Mom nodded. “God cares an awful lot about the details in preparing trees for maple syrup–making, doesn’t He? But He cares about people even more than trees. He sent Jesus to save us so we could be His children, and He’ll prepare us for whatever He has planned for our lives—like getting married or having a job. We can have confidence in His timing.”

Brady caught a drop of sap on his tongue. “This isn’t very sweet.”

“They still have to boil it before it turns to syrup,” Mom explained. “Preparing maple syrup is a process—and being prepared for the things God wants for us is a process too. We don’t have to know everything right away. See that little sapling?” Mom pointed to a tree no bigger around than Brady’s thumb. “It’s got a lot more growing to do before it can give sap for syrup. And you’ve got a lot more growing to do too.”

Brady smiled as they were handed samples of sweet golden syrup. “Let’s have maple syrup for dinner!” he said after tasting it. Mom arched an eyebrow, and Brady grinned. “You know, to remind us to be confident in God’s timing.”

–Pearl Allard

How about you? Do you worry about your future? Are you afraid you won’t be ready if you ever get married, attend college, or work at a job? You can have peace knowing that God cares about you and promises to be with you through life’s every step. He will prepare you for whatever He has planned for you in the future. You can be confident in His timing.

Today's Key Verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart…and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Be confident in God’s timing