A preacher friend of mine named Fred Whitacre had a saying that he used frequently: “God is seldom early, but he is never late.” When we think back on the events of our lives, we often notice that God’s timing is perfect. This is especially true when he sent his Son Jesus into the world for the first time. This is addressed in Gal.4:4-5— “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”

God was working in many ways to get the world ready for the arrival of Jesus. He did not send his Son here at any random time, but at just the right time for the gospel message to be received by many people. Let’s consider some of the ways that God was preparing for Jesus to be sent into this world.

First, the arrival of Jesus came at a time when the world was at peace. The Roman Empire controlled practically all the known world, and they did their best to squelch any rebellion as soon as it occurred. The lack of major wars in the world at that time made it easier for the gospel message to spread. It’s difficult to convey the good news when you are hunkered down in a trench to avoid enemies’ attacks! This time of world peace made it conducive to spread the good news about salvation through Jesus.

Second, the Romans had built a remarkable system of roads throughout their empire. I understand that these roads were so well-built that some portions are still in use today. The roads would help Roman soldiers quickly get to the further reaches of the empire to put down any attempted rebellion. These roads would also enhance the spread of the gospel. When the early missionaries took the good news to people far away, they often travelled on Roman roads.

Third, there was a common language of the day, Greek. Most people learned Greek in addition to their native language so they could do business with people from other regions. Have you ever been frustrated at trying to communicate with someone who speaks a different language? Imagine how difficult it would be to try to tell someone about Jesus if they could not understand what you were saying! But in God’s perfect timing, Jesus came into the world when there was a common language. This allowed the gospel message to spread quickly.

Finally, when Jesus arrived on earth the first time, there was a great spiritual hunger and thirst. The Lord had spoken frequently through his prophets in Old Testament times. Then came a time when there was no new word from the Lord. People had great expectations that God would break in and do great things among them once more. This spiritual longing would set the stage for Jesus to arrive. When he started teaching about the kingdom of God and the way of salvation, he found an audience that hung on his every word. God, in his perfect timing, had prepared for this to happen.

I believe that God still works in our lives to prepare us to believe in Jesus and to follow his teachings. Since we have free will, many choose to ignore how God is working all around them. Let us not be like them! Let us always be aware of how God orders things in such a way as to draw us close to him. His timing is still perfect!