God Is In Control

Psalm 47:8 – God reigns over the nations. (NIV)

I'm one of those people who like to have everything in order. I make lists for everything; hardly a day goes by that I don't make a list. Lately, I've been realizing that lists help me to think I'm in control of my life. I guess we all like to think that we are in control of our own lives. But are we really? Do we really want to be?

Last summer we were getting ready to go away for two weeks' vacation at the cottage. I needed several lists to be able to achieve that! I had a list of what we had to remember to pack — clothes, food, tools, etc.; a grocery list for my mother — I had to do two weeks' shopping for her before we went away; a list of things to be done by the kids while we were away — check the pool, cut the grass, put the garbage out; and, finally, a list of groceries to be purchased when we arrived at the cottage.

By Friday we were all set. As soon as my husband got home from work, we would pack the van and off we'd go. Then the phone call came. It was from our daughter, Michelle. She'd been visiting a friend in Rochester, New York. The message was to please call her at her friend's house — "It's an emergency!" I quickly called her friend and she said, "Don't leave for the cottage until Michelle gets home. Something's happened. She should be home around 7:30." We had hoped to be at the cottage by 7:30. When I asked Michelle's friend to let me know what was going on, she said, "Michelle wants to tell you herself." And so we waited. So much for lists. So much for being in control.

Michelle arrived home around 7:00. She'd been in an accident that afternoon — her car was probably a write-off. Fortunately she was able to drive it home, and, more importantly, she wasn't hurt.

As we were driving up to the cottage later that night, I began to think how fortunate we were. Michelle could have been seriously hurt. She could have been in a hospital in Rochester! That's when I thought to myself — thank goodness I'm not in control.

God is in control. How easily we lose sight of this truth: God is in control. God created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. He created every star in every galaxy and calls them all by name. God created us and knows all of us by name. He knows us better than we know ourselves — even our very thoughts! God loves us. He loved us so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross for us — for you, for me. What amazing love!

The question for each of us is: do we trust the God who created us and who loves us with such an amazing love, to be in control of our lives?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You know us so well. You are always in control of our lives. Help us to trust you more and more. We praise You and thank You for Your amazing love that endures forever. Amen.