All is Indeed Well with God

The issue isn't whether or not He can provide the shelter; the issue is our failure to be sure of the security of that shelter. Today's God Calling message reminds us that all is indeed well. It's about God's omnipotence and sovereignty, really, and, of course, His love.

God's sovereignty-He's God, I'm not. Pride sometimes blinds us to that. The "two-year-old" syndrome-"I can do it" or "I can do it better, faster, now" comes into play at those times. We try to second-guess God and His plan, and/or we try to push our own-to have our own way, to do it our own way.

God's Omnipotence-His power is an unstoppable force. He is more than able to do exceedingly and abundantly for us. If God is for us, whom do we have to fear?

God's Love-He says, "I know the thoughts I have toward you; thoughts of good and not evil, of blessing and not cursing."

I've had so many close calls in my lifetime! Many times I didn't even have time to think about whether or not Jesus was able to provide shelter in the storm, and sometimes I wasn't even aware that I was in danger. His hand has always been over me. My mother tried to abort me three times. I'm here today and will celebrate my 12^th 39^th birthday soon. I've had near fatal pneumonia twice, once as a three month old infant. I'm here today and breathing easy. I was almost run over by a semi truck, but some angel or other unseen force kept my little bike just ahead of that semi and steered me right up into the next driveway, and, I'm here today. Those are a couple of accounts just from my childhood. Childhood is when we have no fear, or concept of danger. I think about times that I was unable to think about whether or not God was able to provide the shelter in the storm, vs. times that I was able or did have the time to think about it. Seems the times I ended up in the biggest messes were those times; times I thought about it.

What we're really doing is second guessing God's sovereignty, power and love, based on our own perceptions and expectations of Him instead of the truth in His Word. Ignorance, fear and pride cause us to do that. We're ignorant of who He is and what His Word promises us, and how much he loves us, and who we are in Him. We fear that He really couldn't or wouldn't love us if He knew the truth about us, etc. That fear is based in guilt and shame, and, the truth is that He does know us. He loves us anyway! There's also fear that provision won't come in time...so, we have to spring into action ourselves, right? That's based on our perceptions and expectations of Him.

Sometimes the failure to be sure of the Lord comes from our failure to 'be still and know" that He is God. Sometimes the chaos and destruction around us seems so great that it overwhelms us, and we think we need to "do" something, but we're really not even aware of everything that's taking place (remember the unseen) or what exactly to do. I think about Jesus when he was being beaten and mocked by the soldiers. He never said a word. He never fought back, He didn't yell, "Sick 'em, Daddy!". Hmm, I lost count of how many times I've had to deal with that one in my life. It's a good thing he answers prayer according to his love and grace and not ours.

I had a thought about the legions of angels that surround us...If we're surrounded by them, then any harm or "evil" that comes into the situation has to come from within us...we have the power to let it in-"Out of the heart"..."Out of the good stored up in his heart..." Sometimes, in the midst of that chaos and destruction, the very thing to do is to "be still and know" that he is God...be still until you know that He is god, anyway.