Psalm 104
speaks of a loving and kind Creator who cares for the world which He has made: “He
watereth the hills from his chambers . . . He causeth the grass to grow for the
cattle, and herb for the service of man . . . He appointed the moon for
seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. Thou makest darkness, and it is night
. . . The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. . .
These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
. . Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face
of the earth.”
On the
flip-side of this, what have WE created? What are WE in control of? “Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the
peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? . . . Hast thou given the
horse strength? . . . Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings
toward the south? Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on
high?” (Job 39) The answer is quite obviously, “No!” WE are not in control of
such things! The truth of the matter is, we are in control of so very little
that occurs in our lives.
Deuteronomy 4:39 “Know therefore this day, and
consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon
the earth beneath: there is none else.”
Psalm 86:10 “For thou art great, and doest wondrous
things: thou art God alone.”
Romans 11:33-34, 36 “O the depth of the riches both of
the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his
ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath
been his counsellor? . . . For of him, and through him, and to him, are all
things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”
We worship
the One True God! He is WISE and He IS in control! He is in control of EVERY
aspect of my life! He is in control of the very breath I breathe! Job 12:10 “In
whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.”
God was in
control when, as a first-year teacher, I had to be rushed by ambulance, for an
emergency appendectomy. God was in control when a doctor later told me that if
I didn’t follow his worldly advice, I might never be able to have any children.
God was in control, when we moved here with two little ones, and Brandon lost
his job only a couple of months later.
God was in control, when He started laying Southeast Asia on our
hearts. And I have to believe that God
is in control, even if we take 4 – maybe even 5 – little girls to a country
that is predominantly Muslim. I have to
believe that He is in control, even if I end up wrapping Christmas presents, early,
in case we never make it back from our survey trip. I have to believe that He is in control, if
we have to postpone our trip until the beginning of January, because of a
missionary visa situation. Because My Bible
tells me that God IS in control! And God is in control, no matter what you are
going through in YOUR life. Whether it’s
health-related, or family- related, or presidential-related . . .
Do we all have
anxious thoughts, at times? Absolutely!
But the Bible says, “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” Psalm
94:19 If you’re tempted to be up until
the wee hours of the morning, tonight, watching the little red and blue State
results on the screen, open your Bible to the book of Psalms, instead, and “Let the peace of God rule in your
hearts . . .” Colossians 3:15
Psalm 91:2, 4-5 “I will say of the LORD, He is my
refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust . . . He shall cover thee
with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy
shield and buckler.”
We can
place our vote - and I hope you did, today – but we really have no say in who
gets elected to be the next President of the United States of America. My Bible
tells me, “But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up
another.” (Psalm 75:7) “And he
changeth the times and the seasons: he
removeth kings, and setteth up kings . . .” (Daniel 2:21) And we
can trust Him!
Psalm 84:11-12 “For the LORD God is a sun and shield:
the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them
that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in
thee.”
God is in
control – and God seeks my GOOD. Does
evil sometimes befall us? Yes. But God
means even THAT for our good. Remember Joseph’s words in Genesis 50:20? “But as
for you, ye thought evil against me; but God
meant it unto good. . .” Had bad things happened in Joseph’s life?
Yes! But God was in control, and God
“meant it unto good.” He always has a BIGGER and a BETTER plan than our human
ones. Even if the opposing candidate
wins . . .
It’s all
about TRUSTING God and GLORIFYING God . . . and, no matter, the results of this
election, not waking up in despondency, tomorrow, throwing up our hands and wondering
where God is in all of this. Because “ . . . I am persuaded, that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 Not even Mrs.
Hillary Clinton. We serve a LOVING God.
And NOTHING that occurs in our lives is out of His control.
There might
be dark days ahead of us as a country.
There might be dark days ahead of YOU, as an individual, or ahead of
me. But we have to trust, that whatever
befalls us, God “means it unto good.”
Romans 8:28 holds the very special promise, “And we know that all things
work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” I Timothy 1:17
“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour
and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
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