--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s not for us to choose our times…" description: "\"“It’s not for us to choose our times, Jacob. But we must be ready when they come.”\" — Joel C. Rosenberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/joel-c-rosenberg-16386_jacob_it-s-not-for-us-to-choose-our-times-jaco_731105.png" --- # It’s not for us to choose our times, Jacob. But we must be… ![“It’s not for us to choose our times, Jacob. But we must be ready when they come.” quote by Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/joel-c-rosenberg-16386_jacob_it-s-not-for-us-to-choose-our-times-jaco_731105.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/joel-c-rosenberg-16386_jacob_it-s-not-for-us-to-choose-our-times-jaco_731105.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/joel-c-rosenberg-16386_jacob_it-s-not-for-us-to-choose-our-times-jaco_731105.png) > ““It’s not for us to choose our times, Jacob. But we must be ready when they come.”” [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We cannot control when events happen, but we must be prepared for them when they arrive. **In simple terms:** Be ready for unexpected moments. Key Takeaway Cultivate readiness and adaptability. Themes preparedness faith anticipation Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - emergency response - career changes - personal crises Key Concepts contingency planning spiritual readiness psychological resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay prepared without fear? - What does readiness mean to you? A Different Perspective Preparation may cause anxiety about future unknowns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The offseason is when you try to gain strength. You have 162 games during the year, so you've got to pick and choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-degrom/the-offseason-is-when-you-try-to-gain-strength-you-have-162-games/) [Jacob deGrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-degrom/) > [Do you think we choose the times into which we are born? Or do we fit the times we are born into?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/do-you-think-we-choose-the-times-into-which-we-are-born-or-do-we-fit/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We cannot choose the times we live in. Just as, sometimes, we cannot choose whom we love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobsha-learner/we-cannot-choose-the-times-we-live-in-just-as-sometimes-we-cannot/) [Tobsha Learner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobsha-learner/) > [The older I've gotten and the more I've played, I realize there is a time for emotion, but you have to pick and choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buster-posey/the-older-i-ve-gotten-and-the-more-i-ve-played-i-realize-there-is-a/) [Buster Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buster-posey/) > [You don't choose the times you live in, but you do choose who you want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/you-don-t-choose-the-times-you-live-in-but-you-do-choose-who-you-want/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [You don't choose the times you live in, but you do choose who you want to be. And you do choose how you think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/you-don-t-choose-the-times-you-live-in-but-you-do-choose-who-you-want-2/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [“We don't choose the times we're born in, he says. That's the business of the stars. The only choice we got is what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-young/we-don-t-choose-the-times-we-re-born-in-he-says-that-s-the-business/) [Moira Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-young/) > [“Perry is on top of mountain. We have a duck and a sleeping bag. Kind Aabee is with his family. We're ready now, kings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-manning/perry-is-on-top-of-mountain-we-have-a-duck-and-a-sleeping-bag-kind/) [Edmond Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-manning/) > [My heart will always be yours so when your ready come and get it. I will be waiting!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-siddiq-prince/my-heart-will-always-be-yours-so-when-your-ready-come-and-get-it-i/) [Young Siddiq Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-siddiq-prince/) > [When you're ready, you can come and get it-la la la](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/when-you-re-ready-you-can-come-and-get-it-la-la-la/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [“We need to be fit and ready for anything that might come our way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-b-powell/we-need-to-be-fit-and-ready-for-anything-that-might-come-our-way/) [Aaron B. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-b-powell/) > [Success is not ready made it's come from many failures ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-singh-chauhan/success-is-not-ready-made-it-s-come-from-many-failures/) Ashish Singh Chauhan > [The only way I knew I was ready to come out was I was being driven crazy by the fact that I was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troye-sivan/the-only-way-i-knew-i-was-ready-to-come-out-was-i-was-being-driven/) [Troye Sivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troye-sivan/) > [When ur ready come and get it na na na na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haylee/when-ur-ready-come-and-get-it-na-na-na-na/) [Haylee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haylee/) > [Ready or not, here I come I'm so tired of this dumb game of hide and seek Olly olly oxen free Show yourself, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-sones/ready-or-not-here-i-come-i-m-so-tired-of-this-dumb-game-of-hide-and/) [Sonya Sones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-sones/) ## More by Joel C. Rosenberg > [“U.S. government infrastructure. I am concerned about the growing number of Americans who have been recruited to Islam. They are usually angry young men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/u-s-government-infrastructure-i-am-concerned-about-the-growing-number/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [“The Possibility of somebody emerging as a nuclear power or events happening that surprise us on the nuclear stage is still a possibility. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/the-possibility-of-somebody-emerging-as-a-nuclear-power-or-events/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [“they had to do it anyway. They had to try. They had taken an oath, and they would be faithful to the end. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/they-had-to-do-it-anyway-they-had-to-try-they-had-taken-an-oath-and/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [“9:12 P.M.—GROUND ZERO, WASHINGTON, D.C. Without warning, the capital of the United States was obliterated. At precisely 9:12 p.m. Eastern, in a millisecond of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/9-12-p-m-ground-zero-washington-d-c-without-warning-the-capital-of/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [The glue that kept the consumer market together the last few years was the wealth effect from the housing boom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/the-glue-that-kept-the-consumer-market-together-the-last-few-years/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [“We serve a prayer-hearing and a prayer-answering God, a wonder-working God!” he loved to say. “And answered prayer is one of the ways we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/we-serve-a-prayer-hearing-and-a-prayer-answering-god-a-wonder-working/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [“I thought of Matt. I thought of Yael. I thought of the decision I’d made on the plane to finally accept what I already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/i-thought-of-matt-i-thought-of-yael-i-thought-of-the-decision-i-d/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [“Elam is one of the ancient names of Iran, just like Persia. The passage tells us that in the last days, God will scatter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/elam-is-one-of-the-ancient-names-of-iran-just-like-persia-the-passage/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [I dont see, based on the evidence, economic and moral, that we can make it that much further.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/i-dont-see-based-on-the-evidence-economic-and-moral-that-we-can-make/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [We are living on the brink of the apocalypse, but the world is asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/we-are-living-on-the-brink-of-the-apocalypse-but-the-world-is-asleep/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [What if these events the Bible says will happen, happens in our lifetime?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/what-if-these-events-the-bible-says-will-happen-happens-in-our/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [There are people in our world today and unfortunately in our political system, they do not believe in evil. They have the modern, western,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/there-are-people-in-our-world-today-and-unfortunately-in-our/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [“What type of car do I get?" David asked. "As we like to say in the Middle East," Zalinsky said, "We'll blow up that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/what-type-of-car-do-i-get-david-asked-as-we-like-to-say-in-the-middle/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [Even some of the most jaded D.C. types are still impressed when the leader of the free world enters the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/even-some-of-the-most-jaded-d-c-types-are-still-impressed-when-the/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [“York. No amount of emergency planning had prepared anyone for something of this scale. Raging fires and radioactive winds were killing everyone in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/york-no-amount-of-emergency-planning-had-prepared-anyone-for/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) [Explore all 39 Joel C. Rosenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) ## More Jacob quotes > [Catholicity seized on man... and the mystics, transcending all, taught him to ascend on high with the wings of contemplation the Ladder of Jacob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-donoso-cortes/catholicity-seized-on-man-and-the-mystics-transcending-all-taught-him/) Juan Donoso Cortes > [Did he only wear a shirt during class? Oh my God, he seriously lived across the hall. Jacob was going to flip... and probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-lynn/did-he-only-wear-a-shirt-during-class-oh-my-god-he-seriously-lived/) [J. Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-lynn/) > [I was much more upset by the situation with Jacob than by the possibility of being eaten by a bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-was-much-more-upset-by-the-situation-with-jacob-than-by-the/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [American foreign policy and military might have opened an opportunity for the Gospel in the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/american-foreign-policy-and-military-might-have-opened-an-opportunity/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) > [To Jane Jacob’s three traditional urban values of civic space, human scale and diversity, the current environmental imperative adds two more: conservation and regionalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-calthorpe/to-jane-jacob-s-three-traditional-urban-values-of-civic-space-human/) Peter Calthorpe > [Each had his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by heart; and his friends could only read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/each-had-his-past-shut-in-him-like-the-leaves-of-a-book-known-to-him/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [“What appear to be dangerous and even bad periods in some lives can actually bring them closer to the Lord, because these individuals honestly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/what-appear-to-be-dangerous-and-even-bad-periods-in-some-lives-can/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [“Jacob-el was a place-name in Palestine according to an inscription.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-courtenay-james/jacob-el-was-a-place-name-in-palestine-according-to-an-inscription/) [John Courtenay James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-courtenay-james/) > [ Odd as this might sound, I suppose I’m glad you’re here, Jacob. \[Edward Cullen\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/odd-as-this-might-sound-i-suppose-i-m-glad-you-re-here-jacob-edward/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“When pain is vivid, when decisions are keen-edged, we believe that we are the surgeons. But time passes, and one sees the whole more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/when-pain-is-vivid-when-decisions-are-keen-edged-we-believe-that-we/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“I'd run you know. It's like when you're really busy doing something and you don't have time to think about things. Well, I'd run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/i-d-run-you-know-it-s-like-when-you-re-really-busy-doing-something/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [The night breathed through the apartment like a dark animal. The ticking of a clock. The groan of a floorboard as he slipped out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/the-night-breathed-through-the-apartment-like-a-dark-animal-the/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [Jacob's little smirk became a full-blown grin, and I knew he was picturing Charlie showing up to arrest him. This grin was too bitter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/jacob-s-little-smirk-became-a-full-blown-grin-and-i-knew-he-was/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“Sticks and stones will break your bones, but failure will get you killed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/sticks-and-stones-will-break-your-bones-but-failure-will-get-you/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“Why didn't Jacob simply refuse to go along with this bold, obvious swindle? Again, Robert Alter's insights are invaluable. When Jacob asks, 'Why have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/why-didn-t-jacob-simply-refuse-to-go-along-with-this-bold-obvious/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) Browse all 284 Jacob quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It’s not for us to choose our times, Jacob. 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