Tag: control

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Isaiah Devotionals

The one who is in control

Isaiah

I’m sure I’ve mentioned this many times before, but it’s good to remember this in a world that often seems like it’s going crazy: God is in control.

In declaring judgment on Babylon and Assyria, he said,

As I have purposed, so it will be;
as I have planned it, so it will happen. (Isaiah 14:24)

And again,

The Lord of Armies himself has planned it;
therefore, who can stand in its way?

It is his hand that is outstretched,
so who can turn it back? (24-27)

Assyria was a world power wreaking havoc, and Babylon came after them wreaking even more havoc. As a result, Israel suffered greatly.

But ultimately, it was God who was in control. It was God who allowed these nations to torment Israel because His people had turned their backs on him.

But after his purpose was accomplished in disciplining his people, God said he would then turn on their tormentors and bring judgment on them.

So many times we fret about the leaders that are in power around the world, or even in our own countries.

But don’t think for a minute that God has lost control of the situation. No one can checkmate God.

And in the end, his purposes will stand.

Categories
Luke Luke 2

The One who is truly in control

Luke

When Luke gave his account of the birth of Jesus, he gave us some historical context. It happened during the time of Caesar Augustus, who was the emperor of the Roman Empire.

Augustus had taken complete control over the Roman Empire by conquering Mark Antony and Cleopatra’s forces, and shortly thereafter, he became the first Emperor of Rome.

He would flex his powers in many ways, including bringing peace to Rome, as his reign marked the beginning of the Pax Romana.

But what he didn’t know was that an even greater King was about to be born. And that though he was in control of the Roman Empire, there was a greater hand at work.

Augustus ordered that a census be taken of the entire Roman world, probably for tax purposes. With one snap of his fingers, his subjects all had to leap and go back to their hometowns to register.

One wonders what Joseph and Mary thought. We always assume that Mary was in her ninth month of pregnancy when the decree came, but we don’t know that. It may have been earlier.

But if true, I suspect that it wasn’t that much earlier because if it had been, there probably would have been time to find a better place to stay than in a cave, which was probably where Joseph and Mary had to go (contrary to all our images of a nice, clean stable).

Joseph must have wondered, “Why now, God? Why didn’t you work things out so she could be more comfortable?”

But God knew what he was doing. On a lesser note, it probably got Mary and Joseph out of a very uncomfortable situation in Nazareth where rumors were no doubt flying around concerning Mary’s pregnancy, because they were not yet married.

On a more important note, though, through this census, Jesus was forced to be born in Bethlehem, fulfilling the prophecy of Micah. (Micah 5:2)

Though Augustus thought he was in control, it was God who truly was in control. And while Augustus helped set up a peace that continued for roughly 200 years, eventually all he helped build crumbled.

But through Jesus, God started a kingdom that continues to this day and will have no end. No man, no woman, and no kingdom, will be able to overthrow it.

And when all is said and done, there will be a true peace in this world that will never be broken again.

How about you? Do you think that you are in control? Of your own life if nothing else?

Remember that there is Someone bigger than you are. And if your life is based solely on your wisdom and your efforts, it will eventually crumble.

Do you sometimes wonder if God is in control? Do you wonder why God allows things to happen as they do?

Continue to trust in him. Because he’s working things out according to a plan that we can’t always see. And in the end, all creation will see it.

On that day, as the angels cried out at Jesus’ birth, all will say,

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. (Luke 2:14)

Categories
Proverbs

Remembering who’s in control

When we look at this world, it’s easy to wonder if God is still in control.

In verse 1, Solomon writes,

The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.  (Proverbs 21:1)

Yet in recent years, especially as I look at the States, it’s hard to see sometimes.  

In Hawaii, a gay marriage bill passed a few weeks ago.  This despite the fact that in 1998, the people in Hawaii overwhelmingly voted on a constitutional amendment that supposedly banned it. 

Now people have looked at the wording of the amendment and realized that it doesn’t say gay marriage is not allowed. 

Rather, it simply gave legislature the power to ban it if they pleased, and at the time they did.  Now the legislature has reversed itself and is allowing it.

Is God still in control?  Are things slipping through his fingers?  Not according to Solomon, who wrote,

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.  (Proverbs 21:30)

Why then is all this happening?  It’s happening because God is allowing our country free choice.  The choice to follow him and his ways, and the choice not to.

God could force us all to be robots and to do things as he wants, but he doesn’t want robots.  He wants people to choose him because they love him.

I think God may also be allowing this for another reason.  We’ve been failing at our call as Christians. 

Our call is not fight legal battles to force people to conform to the moral standards God has set up.  To do so is a losing battle. 

Why? 

Because our legal system is run by people corrupted by sin.  And if people corrupted by sin are running our legal system, they will eventually corrupt that system.  That’s what we’re seeing now.

Our call is not to fight legal battles to force people to conform.  Our call is to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations…starting with our own. 

That’s how a nation changes.  Not through legal machinations and maneuvering.  But one person at a time as we bring the gospel to them and God changes them from the inside out.

Am I saying we shouldn’t fight for our rights?  No.  But I am saying that if that’s our primary fight, we’re missing out on God’s call for us as Christians.  We’re called to fight Satan who is enslaving people to sin and destruction.

The church is already seeing persecution because of this gay issue.  And despite the “protections” added to the Hawaii bill, I foresee more of it. 

Jesus never promised no persecution for those who believe in him.  In fact, he guaranteed we’d be persecuted.

But no matter what persecution we may face, always remember that God is still in control.  And ultimately, when Jesus comes back, we and the whole world will see it.

But until then, let us yield ourselves to him daily, and carry out the mission that he has given us to do.