I have wondered about Yeshua’s reply to His mother, “My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4). Yes, God is perfect and His timing is perfect, but He is also forbearing, patient, and compassionate.  His forbearance is seen everyday as he supplies all the needs of the righteous and wicked alike.  God is patient to give every opportunity for all to repent of their sin and come to Him for mercy in Yeshua.(2 Pet. 3: 9).  His compassion is seen as Yeshua healed all who came to him.  God did not want Israel to have a king, because it was not best, but He allowed it and the consequences were not the best.  God gave David three opportunities to take vengeance on Saul, who was tracking David to kill him.  Much later, Saul was killed in battle; God had already rejected Saul as king and had Samuel anoint David as king, but we see His patience toward Saul, as he remained king for many more years.  Hezekiah got sick with a fatal disease, but He prayed and God healed him and gave him fifteen more years of life. (2 Kings 20:5).  When Moses complained to God that he was not a good speaker, God said, “who made your mouth”, but gave Aaron as Moses helper. (Exodus 4: 10-11).  Perhaps the greatest test of God patience, was when Abraham talked with God regarding the minimum number of righteous people to warrant saving Sodom And Gomorrah from total destruction. (Gen. 18:32).  In that same event God told Lot to flee to the mountains,  but Lot asked if he might go instead to a city, and God allowed it. (Gen.19: 19-21).

Yeshua told the Canaanite woman, “It was not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”  But, the woman demonstrated great faith and He granted her request, in great forbearance. (Matt. 15: 26-28).  These are only a few examples of how God is loving to all He has made.  Of course, the greatest demonstration of love was giving His only Son to die in our place and for our sins.  If God would do this He will certainly be patient, forbearing, and compassionate.

This does not mean that God can be manipulated or taken advantage of as He knows everything.  As we can see sometimes our requests do not always lead to the best result in the long run.  However, God is sovereign; “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28). God knows those who are His own and His forbearance has a purpose.  “What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?  What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?” (Rom. 9: 22-24).