Then Jesus Came #15

 Galatians 4:1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

As Paul looks back on the Incarnation, God sending His Son through birth by Mary, the Advent of Christ, he sees how it came in "the fullness of time."  God did it when He did at just the right time.  His opening illustration is that of a child who is not ready to receive his rights as an adult "until the date set by his father."  The child is not in a position to know when he is ready.  He needs the wisdom of the Father to make that decision.  From a historical perspective we can see that the time Christ came was one where the spread of the Good News of Christ's coming was able to spread quickly and freely due to Roman rule and Roman roads, reaching the far corners of the world in speedy fashion.  The same is true of His second advent, his return for His people.  Our hearts cry out that we are ready, but the date is set by Him, Who still has the wisdom and perspective we lack.  We can see that many things appear ready, with now split-second travel of news, but until He says so, we are still not of age.  We need to just keep looking to Him.