Words can be powerful. Consider these: “At the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” These words are pregnant with meaning. In these words we find, among many other things, the grace of God and his perfect wisdom, love, and understanding. Christ did not die without reason; he died for the ungodly. He died for those who were still weak; he died for those who had no hope. Christ acted benevolently toward those who had made no movement toward him—they were weak (many were not even born). Christ died for those who carried enmity in their hearts toward him. Christ died for those who deserved only their own death.
Grace was shown when Christ died for the ungodly. Love and wisdom were shown when Christ died “at the right time.” Galatians 4:4 says, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son.” Ephesians 1:10 records that the plan of God set forth in Christ was “a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” So the “right time” was the time that God had predetermined as perfect to unveil his incredible love to the world. God did not suddenly become loving in the time of Christ, he had always loved, but at the cross the fullness of his love and wisdom were revealed to the world. God’s plan throughout salvation history was made crystal clear on the cross of Calvary.
God was not late in sending Christ, nor was he early. The arrival of Christ and his death, burial, and resurrection were right on time. It sounds a bit cliché, but we can have confidence in God’s timing. Just as he knew the exact moment in history to send Christ, so too does he know the exact moments in your life to act and intervene. God showed his love toward weak sinners on the cross at just the right time and continues to reach weak sinners at just the right time. He is an on-time God and he will meet you right where you need him most at just the right time.
