It is a difficult, but factual aspect of this life that
we can go to bed at night; wake up in the morning, only to find that over 5,000
people have perished due to a terrible tragedy!
Our prayers and concerns must be focused on Nepal, and we must
do whatever God leads us to do to offer help. The destruction is massive and it
will take a concerted effort to bring real relief to the folks there. This is
the time when those that know Christ can show their love and concern. Our
preaching should be done through actions!
It seems as though every week our world is experiencing in an
unprecedented way catastrophes, which stretch our faith and test our belief in
Who is really in control. Many in the world have been conditioned to believe
that we, humans, have the greatest control over the earth. Then a “natural”
disaster; i.e., a tsunami, a typhoon, a volcano or as in Nepal, an earthquake
takes place and we are shaken out of our arrogant superiority, and humbly must
face that the forces that God controls are far greater than the issues we
control! Sadly, each time
something like this happens too many spend their time speculating on “Why” it
happened.
They place themselves in the seat of God and make some very harmful
and foolish statements! Sadder still for me, because I am a pastor, many times
it is one of my peers making those statements. When they do that they hurt the
concept of God in many minds and they show, in spite of all their learning,
they do not have much wisdom. The question should never be “why”
because only One mind holds that answer…and He is not sharing. Our earth has
natural forces that God set up, if there was a shift in the earth, it is clear
that God allowed it, but that does not mean He made it happen. Only He knows
exactly why it took place. However, there are several very appropriate questions,
which include, “what should we do to help?” I also believe, as we enter into an era
of uncertainty – it would be good to deal with the question of: “What
can I do when things are so uncertain?”
This issue brings to the surface one of the greatest stresses
we experience as human beings. Learning to understand that a Sovereign God does
not mean He is the “cause” for everything! God is all-powerful and NOTHING happens without
Him allowing it…but that does not equate to Him causing it! As a father I have
total control over my baby as he begins to learn to walk. I can make sure he
never falls down, by always holding him and controlling him. However, by doing
that he really has no freedom, or opportunity for growth.
God could be a “puppet
master”
if He chose, He is Sovereign, yet He has chosen to allow the laws of nature and
the decisions of man, for the most part, to work themselves out. Clearly when
He desires to intervene He can and Scripture shows when He has. Sometimes it is
in judgment, but most of God’s interactions with the earth and man have
been in mercy and grace. Whenever we witness a catastrophe such as the one in
Nepal, we need to bring the situation to the Lord in fervent prayer, extend
whatever aid we can. We also need to reflect on what we understand concerning
our Lord. I have found that many see the Sovereignty of God as something to
fear or dislike. I have found that besides reminding me that “man
is not all that” the reality that God is Sovereign can bring great encouragement
and comfort in this very troubled world.
Whenever we approach this, the issue is our focus –
nothing we do can change most of what is going on – but how we deal with
it –
that is under our control!
Remember:
I can control my attitude. I can't control everyone's action.
I can control today's calendar. I can't control today's circumstances.
I can control my focus. I can't control life's forecast.
We have an almighty God that is Sovereign
* Interesting: Science tries to date the earth. Instead
of getting mad about their theories, it ought to thrill us. Date is based on
how long it would take naturally to be the way it is. Billions of years, the
theories say! Our God is so Almighty it took Him only 6 days!
Consider: Strong earthquake has same power as 1000 H Bombs
The sun put out more energy in a second than man has
used since the beginning!
A hurricane generates more power in 10 sec than USA uses
in electricity in a whole year!
* A child asked his teacher the weight of the earth,
the teacher told the children to find out. The next day no one had the answer
except teacher. When he told them, the same little boy raised his hand and
asked: “Is that with or without people?”!
What does it mean to be Sovereign? Defined: Possessed of
supreme power, unlimited in extent, Absolute
Explanation: There is a line between Sovereignty & Free
choice in Practicality, but not in reality
In practice God allows us to flex our free choice and it may
appear that we are in control, but in reality He controls all.
The correct illustration is you and I on a ship. God
has determined a ship will go to a destination. You and I are free to go
anywhere on that ship, but that will not change the course. Jesus was destined
to go to the cross, it was a Sovereign decision by God, but we could either
follow Jesus, ignore Jesus, deny Jesus, betray Jesus or crucify Jesus. Jesus
was going to the cross, God determined that, but our response was left up to
us! Interestingly, it is the same with the Resurrection of Jesus! God determined
it and it happened, even Death and Satan could not prevent it, but what each
human does with that fact is left to them.
Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every
decision is from the Lord.
Charles Spurgeon's "There are two sins of man that
are bred in the bone, and that continually come out in the flesh. One is self-dependence and the other is
self-exaltation. It is very hard,
even for the best of men, to keep themselves from the first error. The holiest of Christians, and those who
understand best the gospel of Christ, find in themselves a constant inclination
to look to the power of the creature, instead of looking to the power of God
and the power of God alone."
The record of Jonah gives us some great insight into the
Sovereignty of God:
{1} Something’s are non negotiable
1874 in a village named Swan Quarter, N.C. A group of
believers decided to build a church facility. They began praying and came upon
the perfect piece of land. The owner
was closed to any discussion about it and gave an emphatic NO! So the church
built their building up the streetseveral blocks. When the storm the building
was gone! They found the building completely intact, undamaged, (a little wet,
just down the street…it had been set down perfectly on the other piece of
property, the one they really wanted! The owner then sold it to them stating, “
I am not one to argue with God!
There are times that God has decided something and it does not
matter what our “Free Choice” wants! God has decided something and He
is GOD! We would do well to learn to yield quickly, because no matter the
effort, time or energy we expend, it will not change a Sovereign decision!
Jonah 1:1–3 The Lord
gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of
Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its
people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away
from the Lord. He went down to the
port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket
and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord
by sailing to Tarshish.
We all know the story of Jonah, and even though he flexed his
free choice the outcome was exactly what God had decided!
Jonah 3:1–3 Then the Lord
spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and
deliver the message I have given you.” This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a
city so large that it took three days to see it all.
Deut. 3:23-26 At that time I pleaded with the Lord: "O
Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your
strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds
and mighty works you do? Let me go over and see the good land beyond the
Jordan--that fine hill country and Lebanon." But because of you the Lord
was angry with me and would not listen to me. "That is enough," the
Lord said. "Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.
* Encouragement: Now if you are a “control freak”
this bothers you, but I find it very comforting! Jesus said that He would build
His church and hell would not overcome it! Matt 16:18
{2} It is all encompassing!
God’s sovereignty oversees every situation. God may not desire what
is happening, but whatever it is…it never is out of His control.
God did not turn to the Angels and say, “Oh no what am
I going to do now? Jonah has decided not to do what I want, tough luck for
Niniveh!
No, Jonah’s free choice does not control God and
Niniveh will not suffer because Jonah tried to disobey.
Jonah 1:4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and
such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.
Jonah 1:15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard,
and the raging sea grew calm.
Jonah could not remove himself from God’s presence. He was hard
headed and had to learn the hard way! It is far easier to be like Paul:
Eph. 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ
Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles
Philemon 1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy
our brother
Notice Paul’s approach. The Romans were holding him
prisoner, yet he considered himself a prisoner of Christ! The Romans could do
nothing that the Lord did not allow!
* Encouragement: * This brings a real stability to my life. There
are no accidents in my life! I may make mistakes, but even those are under God’s
control and if He allowed me to do something He has a purpose for it. It did
not sneak past Him or happen when He wasn’t looking! God is always looking!
How encompassing is God’s Sovereignty? Consider – the
sailors tossed Jonah into the sea, and immediately it became calm…for
them, but not for Jonah!
Jonah 2:3 You
hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents
swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.
Jonah had his own personal storm! I would love to know what
those sailors thought as they suddenly had a nice calm sea, but watched Jonah
carried away by a raging sea!
{3} It makes anything possible!
Jonah 1:7 Then the sailors said to each other, "Come,
let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They
cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
These sailors had no relationship with God, yet He still led
them. God is not limited by our willingness. I get so frustrated by the sloppy
communication of leaders in the Church. I have heard so many say, “God
does not hear the prayer of the unbeliever.” How utterly stupid! God hears, sees, and
knows everything! We need to be precise in our comments about God; we owe Him
that! God makes no commitment to answer a prayer of a person not in
relationship with Him, but only He knows when that is. We should encourage all
to go to Him, because nothing is impossible with Him!
Jonah 1:17 But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow
Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.
If God wants Jonah to go to Niniveh, He will get him there,
even it is with “Fish Airlines!”
How many times do we see in Scripture where a hopeless situation turns
out to be nothing more than a detour that God had allowed! Joseph: a slave to
second most powerful in Egypt! Israelites: trapped at the Red Sea, which in
reality was a God orchestrated trap for the Army of Pharaoh! Gideon with 300
men defeating an Army of almost 200,000!
* Encouragement: This produces hope! It is never over until God
states it is so!
As
we pray for everyone affected by the earthquake, and we send help in the form
of money, goods or people, let us also take a moment to reflect on the Truth
that God is still God and nothing can take place unless He allows it. We need
to apply this into our personal lives, so we will embrace the reality that we
are in our Lord’s hands and even when things take place that we do not
understand or want, our God is still the One in control!
Ponder:
Where’s my focus – On the circumstances and the times I live in – or - on the One Who controls my
circumstances and ALL time.
