Orange Moon Wednesday, January 28, 2026 “Design In Delay”

 

  The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

(Thanks to Noah, Jessica, Ewan, and Evelyn for inspiration on this one)

"Design In Delay"  

    

 

   Delays are not delights.  We make our plans, which include timing and schedules.  Often, however, life does not proceed according to our hopes, leading to disappointment, perplexity, and even the temptation to doubt and murmuring.  How do we deal with the challenge?

    "My times are in Thy hand" (Psalm 31:15).

    We remember there is always Design in delay.  The Psalmist wondered about this, as we all do: "O Lord, how long?" (Psalm 6:3).  The answer, of course, is precisely long enough.  "As for God, His way is perfect" (II Samuel 22:31).  Earthly hindrances abound, of course, and sometimes even devils can be involved in matters of timing (Daniel 10:11-13).  God nevertheless works His purposes amid all obstacles, weaving delays into the fabric of His design, and bringing forth His promised good in ways that could not have otherwise happened.  "His work is perfect" (Deuteronomy 32:4). 

    Of course, these words are easy to write and perhaps to read.  The challenge involves our human responses to scheduling difficulties.  In many cases, our flesh does not respond well to postponement of what we plan.  We may be strongly tempted to believe that our way is best, including intentions regarding the future.  Although things often proceed according to our timing, often they do not.  We cannot completely see the events of the next moment, much less the matters of the morrow.  We tend to think we can, however, leading to consternation when our designs must be delayed.  Whatever our initial response to the challenge may be, we must  affirm our Lord's timing whereby we honor Him by faith as we face the difficulty of delays (Galatians 5:16).

    

   "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusted in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3).   Regarding delay, this involves the determination to believe that our divine Scheduler knows far more than we do regarding the proper order of our future.  Amid the resistance of fleshly notions and impulses, we make a willed choice of the heart to believe in God's pointed presence and working in our lives.  We apply our doctrinal belief regarding  His working in all things to the personal determination that affirms…

    "In this delay, Father, I choose to see Your design even through I do not yet understand its purpose and power to fulfill Your promises in my life.  Your way is perfect, Father.  Here my heart makes its stand, in the perfection of Your way regardless of anything I may feel, or any contrary notions that may course through my mind."

   Design always resides in delay.  Always.  The Psalmist calls us to see the truth, and to find the Lord's peace as we trust Him and rejoice that our times are indeed in His hand…

"Wait on the Lord.  Be of good courage and He shall strengthen thine heart.  Wait, I say, on the Lord."

(Psalm 27:14)

Weekly Memory Verse 

   Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God, the faithful God." 

(Deuteronomy 9:7)

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