We have a 6 pound Peekapoo breed dog named Chewy. Chewy is very much a part of our family. Chewy's body clock works amazingly well. We give her some canned meat each evening at 5:00. Many times within 10 minutes till 5:00, she starts staring at us and wagging her tail in anticipation. Sometimes her anticipation may hit 30 minutes early and she begins her gentle reminders. Our response is always the same, "It's not time yet." She sets patiently wagging her tail and staring at us until it is finally time for her food.

My uncle Dick recently asked me, "Do you believe that God's time is always right?" Just in case that doesn't make sense to you, some other ways of putting the question he is asking could be:

Do you believe that everything God does, he does at the right time to cause the right effect in your life?Do you believe that every answered prayer is answered at just the right time?Do you believe that every prayer that is not answered, is not answered because it may not be the right time?

That's a tough set of questions, isn't it? Do you REALLY BELIEVE that God answers you or aids you or allows things to fall into place always "at just the right time?" I do!

I'm reminded of a couple of Scriptures right now. The first is the story Jesus told of the woman who kept coming to a corrupt judge asking for relief from a problem. He refused her for a while, but eventually gave in and helped her because she was so steadfast in her asking (Luke 5:18). Luke describes the reason Jesus told this story with these words:

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up (Luke 5:1 NLT).

Jesus also talks about prayer in another story, this one about fathers:

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11 NIV)

It may be hard at times!
A second reason I believe God answers prayer and works at just the right time for our benefit is because of what Paul wrote to early Christians living in Rome:

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28 NLT).

I know it may be hard at times, but do you believe that God's time is always right? Our little dog sits patiently every night — okay, sometimes not so patiently — waiting on what she knows is eventually coming. She trusts us to provide for her. She loves us because she knows we love her and will give her what she needs when she needs it. However, even knowing that we will not forget her, she doesn't stop reminding us that she wants. Can we do any less? God wants to hear from us even though he has plans to bless us. When it comes to prayer, let's never give up!