For several weeks, or has it been years, I’ve been waiting for an important package to come through the mail. I don’t know why they call it snail mail because I have seen snails crawl faster.
I've been going to the mailbox every day for several weeks, and I find junk mail, but I don't find the mail I'm looking for. They promised it would arrive between seven and ten days. Of course, they didn't mention what days they would come, nor did they say those days would be consecutive. The interesting thing was that I checked my bank account and saw the day I ordered that package, the money came out of my account immediately. They had my money, but I didn't have their package. In the last few days, I've been getting a little jumpy, more than normal. I stand at the window, watching for the mailman, and he never comes on a regular schedule. Then the mailman shows up, I jump up, run out the door, get to the mailbox, and much to my disappointment, the package is not in the mail. I have mail from everybody and everything but not the mail that I really want. How aggravating is that? I stomped back into the house, grumbling under my breath, careful not to vocalize what is chopping in my head. Walking into the house, all I did was say grrrrrrrrrrrrr. And then I let it spill, "When will that package arrive?" I didn't know somebody in the house was listening. “Are you still worrying about that package?” She knew I was, so I just looked at her, smiled, nodded my head, and went to my office area. Looking at me, trying to encourage me, I think, she said, "All in due time." And then she smiled in my direction. I didn't know what she meant by "due time." Did she mean, "dew time?" Or did she mean, "do time?" As it was, I was “doing time,” and not too happy with it. \ “There’s always a reason,” she explained, “for everything. There certainly is a reason why this package is late.” When I called the customer service, they assured me they sent the package out at the correct time, and according to their records, it was delivered within the proper time. Hanging up the phone, I sat there, grumbling about my misfortune. Then the doorbell rang. I got up and opened the door, and a man said, "I got this package several weeks ago, but it's not anything I ordered. Is this something you ordered?" I looked at the package. It had my name on it, but it did not have my address on it. I cheerfully thanked the guy, shook his hand, and wished him a good day. I went back to my chair, opened up the package and there was what I had ordered—all in due time. I thought of a special verse, “To every thing, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2). Everything has a time element to it that has been established by God, and when I surrender to God's time, I will plant seeds of happiness in my life. [Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, Ocala, FL 34472. He lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 352-216-3025 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com.] |
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