Sunday, August 31, 2014

God Is In Control


Jeremiah 10:2 and 23 -   This is what the LORD says: "Do not act like other nations who try to read their future in the stars. Do not be afraid of their predictions, even though other nations are terrified by them.

I know, LORD, that a person's life is not his own. No one is able to plan his own course.

 

Jeremiah warns us in this chapter of leaning on other sources…even our own resources….to plan our future. He knew that God was the one in charge of our lives…not one minute can be planned on our own. The stars do not hold the secrets of our future….only a history of the past.

 

We are a people who likes to know what is going to happen and when it will be so.  We carefully plan out retirement accounts … plan college funds for our children…and keep wills in order so that family will know our wishes when we pass. We want to have a nice emergency fund in the bank…just in case. Don’t misunderstand here…I am not saying that these things in themselves are bad.  But many times…we complete these tasks thinking that we have some power over life because we were smart enough to plan ahead.

 

Jeremiah was reminding us that God is in control of all that we have and do. That well planned retirement account can be drained in a week with an illness we did not expect. That college fund is useless if the child we planned it for suddenly is removed from our lives. That will only says who we feel should have our assets….not what they will use it for after we pass.  That emergency fund can be gone in a flash….if a natural disaster comes our way and destroys our belongings. God will allow things in our life to get us back on his path if we stray too far from his plan.

 

Sure…I need to keep making wise decisions with the resources God gave me.  Sure…with prayer and Bible study I can make wise decisions with the resources he blesses me with. I will continue to pay into a retirement account…and keep a small amount in the bank for emergencies. I thank God every day that I am able to help my last son finish college…even though my contribution is small. I still need to sit down and do a will…just so I have peace of mind that my children will be able to use what God has so richly blessed me with in some way.  God willing…he may grant me a thousand more years on this earth…but I have no guarantee. All I know is the promise he made me in Jeremiah 29:11….that HE has great plans for my future…and they will be good…they will be just what he wanted for me.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that my life…my future is totally in your control. Forgive me for the times that I try to manipulate it into something you did not have planned for me….and I made another mess for you to clean up.  Help me to use the resources you gave me wisely…and invest them the way you tell me to through prayer and Bible study. Give me wisdom to use all of what you gave me…time…money….talent….to glorify and help those you send me to help. Help me live more in today…and stop worrying so much about the future. Amen.

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