--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It may be well to wait a century for a…" description: "\"It may be well to wait a century for a reader, as God has waited six thousand years for an observer.\" — Johannes Kepler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/johannes-kepler-4278_books_it-may-be-well-to-wait-a-century-for-a-r_1302668.png" --- # It may be well to wait a century for a reader, as God has… ![“It may be well to wait a century for a reader, as God has waited six thousand years for an observer.” quote by Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/johannes-kepler-4278_books_it-may-be-well-to-wait-a-century-for-a-r_1302668.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/johannes-kepler-4278_books_it-may-be-well-to-wait-a-century-for-a-r_1302668.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/johannes-kepler-4278_books_it-may-be-well-to-wait-a-century-for-a-r_1302668.png) > “It may be well to wait a century for a reader, as God has waited six thousand years for an observer.” [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He compares God’s long wait for a reader to humanity’s patience, suggesting divine timing exceeds human expectations. **In simple terms:** God’s patience far exceeds human timelines. Key Takeaway Trust in long‑term divine plans. Themes faith patience divine timing Mood contemplative spiritual Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - long‑term projects - historical scholarship Key Concepts theology cosmology spiritual reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does belief in divine timing affect personal urgency? - Can patience coexist with proactive effort? A Different Perspective Patience may be passive; action still required. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [God Waited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-waited-1159017/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Observers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observers/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Reader God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-god-2261422/) [Six](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) [Wait Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wait-century-4283505/) [Waited Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waited-thousand-396776/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [If God himself has waited six thousand years for someone to contemplate his works, my book can wait for a hundred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/if-god-himself-has-waited-six-thousand-years-for-someone-to/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [“Now because 18 months ago the first dawn, 3 months ago broad daylight but a very few days ago the full sun of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/now-because-18-months-ago-the-first-dawn-3-months-ago-broad-daylight/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [She waited for you in a thousand different ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hannah/she-waited-for-you-in-a-thousand-different-ways/) [Kristin Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hannah/) > [I waited two thousand years for you, Grace Alexander,” he whispered in her ear. “And you were worth every second of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-waited-two-thousand-years-for-you-grace-alexander-he-whispered-in/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“He'd waited a thousand years for her, and she would know him for less than two weeks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-faegen/he-d-waited-a-thousand-years-for-her-and-she-would-know-him-for-less/) [Trinity Faegen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-faegen/) > [ Really, the greatest compliments about a book \[One Thousand Gifts\] are never about the book, or the author of the book, but about the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a-book-one-thousand-gifts-are/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [The reader becomes God, for all textual purposes. I see your eyes glazing over, so I'll hush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-reader-becomes-god-for-all-textual-purposes-i-see-your-eyes/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“If there really was one true god, it should be a singular composite of every religion’s gods, an uber-galactic super-genius, and the ultimate entity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aron-ra/if-there-really-was-one-true-god-it-should-be-a-singular-composite-of/) [Aron Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aron-ra/) > [Yes, beloved reader, our God reigneth, and if we crown Him Lord of all, Lord of our soul, Lord of our body, Lord of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-judd-montgomery/yes-beloved-reader-our-god-reigneth-and-if-we-crown-him-lord-of-all/) [Carrie Judd Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-judd-montgomery/) > [Who is the ideal reader? God only knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/who-is-the-ideal-reader-god-only-knows/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I would tell you the safe procedure to avoid lightning strikes while on an exposed ridge, but I see no reason you should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-mccord/i-would-tell-you-the-safe-procedure-to-avoid-lightning-strikes-while/) [Howard McCord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-mccord/) > [“Dear Reader, may God protect you from bad books, police and nagging, moon-faced, fair-haired women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-de-quevedo/dear-reader-may-god-protect-you-from-bad-books-police-and-nagging/) [Francisco de Quevedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-de-quevedo/) > [“He sang like an angel, he was faithful to God and he waited honorably for the wife he believed God chose for him. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haven-kimmel/he-sang-like-an-angel-he-was-faithful-to-god-and-he-waited-honorably/) [Haven Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haven-kimmel/) > [“Keep in mind that if God waited until we were perfect before He allowed us to be in His service, none of us could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-cooke/keep-in-mind-that-if-god-waited-until-we-were-perfect-before-he/) [Tony cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-cooke/) > [“Oh my God.” She waited for the chastising sting of the mark, which acted like a behavioral-modification dog collar. When the burn didn’t come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-day/oh-my-god-she-waited-for-the-chastising-sting-of-the-mark-which-acted/) [Sylvia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-day/) ## More by Johannes Kepler > [Why are things as they are and not otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/why-are-things-as-they-are-and-not-otherwise/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [If the moon and earth were not retained in their orbits by their animal force or some other equivalent, the earth would mount to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/if-the-moon-and-earth-were-not-retained-in-their-orbits-by-their/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [If God himself has waited six thousand years for someone to contemplate his works, my book can wait for a hundred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/if-god-himself-has-waited-six-thousand-years-for-someone-to/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [...Those laws are within the grasp of the human mind. God wanted us to recognize them by creating us after his own image so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/those-laws-are-within-the-grasp-of-the-human-mind-god-wanted-us-to/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [Just as the eye was made to see colours, and the ear to hear sounds, so the human mind was made to understand, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/just-as-the-eye-was-made-to-see-colours-and-the-ear-to-hear-sounds-so/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [I had the intention of becoming a theologian...but now I see how God is, by my endeavors, also glorified in astronomy, for 'the heavens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/i-had-the-intention-of-becoming-a-theologian-but-now-i-see-how-god-is/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [ \[Quantity is the fundamental feature of things,\] the 'primarium accidens substantiae,' ...prior to the other categories. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/quantity-is-the-fundamental-feature-of-things-the-primarium-accidens/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [Repudiating the sensible world, which he neither sees himself nor believes from those who have, the Peripatetic joins combat by childish quibbling in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/repudiating-the-sensible-world-which-he-neither-sees-himself-nor/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [If the earth were not round, heavy bodies would not tend from every side in a straight line towards the center of the earth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/if-the-earth-were-not-round-heavy-bodies-would-not-tend-from-every/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [Wherever there are qualities there are likewise quantities, but not always vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/wherever-there-are-qualities-there-are-likewise-quantities-but-not/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [Where there is matter, there is geometry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/where-there-is-matter-there-is-geometry/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [The soul of the newly born baby is marked for life by the pattern of the stars at the moment it comes into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/the-soul-of-the-newly-born-baby-is-marked-for-life-by-the-pattern-of/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [ So, Fabricius, I already have this: that the most true path of the planet \[Mars\] is an ellipse, which Dürer also calls an oval,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/so-fabricius-i-already-have-this-that-the-most-true-path-of-the/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [Ships and sails proper for the heavenly air should be fashioned. Then there will also be people, who do not shrink from the dreary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/ships-and-sails-proper-for-the-heavenly-air-should-be-fashioned-then/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [Gravity is a mutual affection between cognate bodies towards union or conjunction (similar in kind to the magnetic virtue), so that the earth attracts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/gravity-is-a-mutual-affection-between-cognate-bodies-towards-union-or/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) [Explore all 112 Johannes Kepler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. 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