Be Glad You Showed Up Late
Ok, so it literally pained me to have to type out that title. Being late goes against every strand of DNA that makes up my personality. I not only like to see the previews at the movie theater, I also like to see the commercials that come on before the previews. You know, when the lights are still on. I like to live by the words, “If you are ten minutes early, you are already five minutes late.” I have had to tone down my eagerness to arrive at places before I really need to be there because I married a man who is absolutely fine with missing the first 20 minutes of a movie! The audacity……
Most people, in my opinion, like to arrive at places on time. Sometimes it’s important, like at appointments, and sometimes it’s just common courtesy to the host, like at a birthday party. I know when I am hosting a get-together of some sort, I have set up the party so that when people arrive, their first impression is, hopefully, is a great one. I make sure all the decorations are set to be seen when first walking in. I like the food to be hot and placed so that it invites them to make a plate and enjoy it. I like the drinks to be cold and the ice to be fresh so that none is melting when they arrive. The cake should be already in place so that they know even more goodness is awaiting them once they are finished with their first plates of food.
I’ve always assumed this was the best way to go about things, but then Jesus comes along and lets us know that His ways truly aren’t like our ways, and He can flip things around to make a point like only He can. As I was reading in John a couple days ago, something in the chapter about the wedding at Cana jumped out at me. Most of us just refer to this chapter as being the story of His first miracle when He turned the water into wine, but what the ruler of the feast said is what made me stop and ponder the thought of being late. John 2:10 states, “And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.”
In these days that we are living in now, days of unrest, confusion, division, and disconnect, if you are anything like me, you may have had thoughts of wishing you lived in a different time. Maybe a time when technology wasn’t as prevalent as it is today. Or a time when we weren’t so aware of what everyone else was doing at every moment. A quieter time or, dare I say, a more peaceful time. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know every era has had its own trials and complications but I can surely attest to the fact that I’m glad I didn’t have to go through middle and high school with social media. But the fact of the matter is, here we are. Right smack dab in the middle of this time.
So, what if we turn our hearts, eyes, and thoughts to the idea that maybe God is about to bring out the good wine? What if He is about to release His greatest miracles throughout our world? While I know that He has been performing great works since the beginning of time, seeing myself as someone who is about to be a part of one of the greatest revivals this world has ever seen, an end time revival, causes me to rethink my place in this world. It causes me to look up, to see with spiritual eyes, to feel with a kinder heart, to seek a deeper walk with Him. It helps me to live out 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Let’s fill our hearts with great anticipation. Let’s hold tightly to the truth that He does all things well. Let’s be grateful, not discouraged, that we are here in this moment. Maybe the most miraculous hasn't already been seen.
I see the good wine being brought out.
I’m thankful I showed up “late.”
Ok, so it literally pained me to have to type out that title. Being late goes against every strand of DNA that makes up my personality. I not only like to see the previews at the movie theater, I also like to see the commercials that come on before the previews. You know, when the lights are still on. I like to live by the words, “If you are ten minutes early, you are already five minutes late.” I have had to tone down my eagerness to arrive at places before I really need to be there because I married a man who is absolutely fine with missing the first 20 minutes of a movie! The audacity……
Most people, in my opinion, like to arrive at places on time. Sometimes it’s important, like at appointments, and sometimes it’s just common courtesy to the host, like at a birthday party. I know when I am hosting a get-together of some sort, I have set up the party so that when people arrive, their first impression is, hopefully, is a great one. I make sure all the decorations are set to be seen when first walking in. I like the food to be hot and placed so that it invites them to make a plate and enjoy it. I like the drinks to be cold and the ice to be fresh so that none is melting when they arrive. The cake should be already in place so that they know even more goodness is awaiting them once they are finished with their first plates of food.
I’ve always assumed this was the best way to go about things, but then Jesus comes along and lets us know that His ways truly aren’t like our ways, and He can flip things around to make a point like only He can. As I was reading in John a couple days ago, something in the chapter about the wedding at Cana jumped out at me. Most of us just refer to this chapter as being the story of His first miracle when He turned the water into wine, but what the ruler of the feast said is what made me stop and ponder the thought of being late. John 2:10 states, “And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.”
In these days that we are living in now, days of unrest, confusion, division, and disconnect, if you are anything like me, you may have had thoughts of wishing you lived in a different time. Maybe a time when technology wasn’t as prevalent as it is today. Or a time when we weren’t so aware of what everyone else was doing at every moment. A quieter time or, dare I say, a more peaceful time. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know every era has had its own trials and complications but I can surely attest to the fact that I’m glad I didn’t have to go through middle and high school with social media. But the fact of the matter is, here we are. Right smack dab in the middle of this time.
So, what if we turn our hearts, eyes, and thoughts to the idea that maybe God is about to bring out the good wine? What if He is about to release His greatest miracles throughout our world? While I know that He has been performing great works since the beginning of time, seeing myself as someone who is about to be a part of one of the greatest revivals this world has ever seen, an end time revival, causes me to rethink my place in this world. It causes me to look up, to see with spiritual eyes, to feel with a kinder heart, to seek a deeper walk with Him. It helps me to live out 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Let’s fill our hearts with great anticipation. Let’s hold tightly to the truth that He does all things well. Let’s be grateful, not discouraged, that we are here in this moment. Maybe the most miraculous hasn't already been seen.
I see the good wine being brought out.
I’m thankful I showed up “late.”
Rachelle Fontenot is a Certified Pharmacy Technician and a brand-new writer. Rachelle has attended Livingway Pentecostal Church for 20 years. There, she shows her love for God through singing on the praise team and in the choir and through dramatized worship and theatrical performances. One of her greatest joys is singing alongside her husband, Allen, at church. They have been married almost 13 years and have 4 amazing daughters, Taylor, Aubrey, Edynn, and Norah.
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