And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings.
Daniel 2:21a
When the terrible acts of September 11, 2001 occurred, the world’s reactions could be summarized under one heading: surprise–or, more accurately, shock. When events happen suddenly we are shocked and surprised. And our reaction illustrates what sets us apart from God: He knows the future and we don’t.
Time is everything to us. We keep small devices attached to our wrists to tell us of every passing minute, and calendars record the passing of weeks, months, and years. But all of our time-keeping and calendar-watching cannot tell us what we would really like to know: the future. No one on earth (besides the perpetrators themselves) saw 9-11 coming, but Someone in heaven did. God even saw it coming before it was planned, because time means nothing to our eternal, all-knowing God. A day to Him is like a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8); He sees everything happening at once.
You may be surprised–even shocked–by something unexpected that happens today. But remember: God saw it coming and sees how it fits in the big picture of your life. You may not have seen it coming, but God did.(From Turning Point)
Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only he can see.(By Corrie ten Boom)
