Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School class, September 10, 2022.

Main Theme: It may not seem like it to us, but God’s time is always perfect. That is why we need to wait on Him.

Read in Class: Romans 15:4-5, Psalm 27:14, Psalm 37:7, Romans 5:3-5. Discuss the common thread in these passages.

Study: What are these verses saying to us? What does patience lead to?

Apply: What things are you desperately waiting for? How can you learn to surrender everything to God and to His timing? Are you willing to pray your way into an attitude of complete surrender and submission to the Lord.

Share: Your friend says she was praying and waiting for God to heal her father, but He never did, and her father died. Another couple have been waiting for a long time to have a child, but have been unable to have children. Meanwhile they lament the fact that so many abusive parents are allowed to have children while they have none. What do you tell each of your friends? What examples found in the Bible might you use for each case?

Read in Class: Romans 5:6 and Galatians 4:4 and Daniel 9:24-27. What is the common thread of these two passages?

Study: What do these passages tell us about God’s timing? What was the time period for Daniel 9 and why such a long time?

Apply: What examples can you find in the Bible of God’s doing things in His own time that can help you learn to trust that He will do for you what’s right in His own time, as well? (Think, for instance, about Abraham and Sarah and the promise of a son.) At the same time, ask yourself, “What might I be doing that could be delaying the answer to a prayer that could have been answered long ago?”

Share: Your friend says in 2 Peter 3:12 it tells us to hasten Jesus’ second coming. If God’s timing is always perfect why do we need to hasten His coming? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: 1 Samuel 26:8-11. Discuss the most important idea in this passage.

Study: Why doesn’t David kill Saul and just become king? After all, God has already anointed him as king, and taken the kingdom from Saul. What is there to wait for?

Apply: How much patience and trust in God do you have when you are waiting for a job, promotion, soulmate, or other?

Share: Your friend says David should have taken Abishai’s advice. How do you answer your friend?

Read in Class: 1 Kings 19:1-9. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: After such a powerful intervention by the Lord on Mount Carmel, Elijah should have been full of faith and trust; instead, he runs in fear for his life. What lesson can we learn from this bad example?

Apply: Have you ever been tempted to run away from a situation instead of waiting on the Lord to take care of things? What did you do? How did it turn out? What did you learn?

Share: Can you think of someone who has been waiting a long time for a certain blessing? How can you encourage them this week?

 At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen. Isaiah 60:22 NLT