I’ve heard it said. I confess I’ve said it myself. Some surprising providence comes to pass and we call it “a God thing.” We are, which is good, affirming that God is alive and well not just in heaven but on planet earth, that He is in control. The trouble is the implication that unsurprising providence is not a “God thing.” Everything from the stars marching through their spheres to the clog in my mower’s carburetor is a “God thing.”
Just as we are willing to “allow” God to reign over certain parts of our lives, that is our own personal “spiritual realm,” so we “allow” Him to reign over certain parts of the universe. Wars, and rumors of wars are appropriate objects of His attention. Rain also, because there’s not much we can do about it, is something we are content to leave in His hands. Mower repair, or parts procurement, however, that, we seem to think, is a human thing. Which may help us grasp a bit better why we are so easily annoyed over the little things.
When Abraham Kuyper first thundered, “There is no square inch in all reality over which Jesus Christ does not declare, ‘MINE’” we all jump up and cheer such grand and eloquent insights. We stand ready to storm Washington, Hollywood, perhaps even Amsterdam, having heard such rousing speech. That’s a good thing. But it also means that the three or four square inches that are the gunk in my mower or the pokey person that made me miss the light are present because the King of the Universe has so declared.
Understanding that God reigns over the details not only should give us greater wonder, it ought also to give us greater peace. When you get cancer, when you go through the Internet treatment, when you deal with a sick child, it is actually comparatively easy to remember that God is in control, and to rest in that truth. When you just miss the green light, when your luggage gets lost by the airline, or when your mower quits in the middle of a mow, it’s a little harder. Which challenge then has the greater power to help us? Which provides a daily, ordinary opportunity to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit, including peace, patience and joy?
It’s a good thing in the face of trauma to remember that God’s got this. It’s also a good thing in the face of mere annoyance to remember that God’s got this. The trauma may kill us in the end. The annoyance may persist. That God has this under His control is no promise that things will turn out as we’d like. Instead it is a compelling promise that things will turn out as He’d like.
RC…’Details’ is an absolutely wonderful perspective that I constantly need reminding of! Thank you. Blessings
Gary
PS…Bible study was great last night!
Thank you so much brother.
Good message.
Here is something I wrote a while ago, reminding us that God is working out His will in us by the things we go through.
THE SCULPTOR
Marble from a mountaintop one day was hauled away.
It came before a sculptor who with chisel carved that day.
The form was very rough; you could not see what it would be.
But from the cold, hard stone a figure soon you’d see.
Emerging from that rock, painfully so slow,
A foot and leg and other limbs soon began to grow.
Grotesquely formed at first, hammered blow by blow,
Upon that formless hunk of rock the sculptor’s hand moved slow.
The form was growing daily; shortly it would show
The patience and the skill so lovingly bestowed.
His work was now completed, unveiled for all to see
The beauty from the rock, now standing in front of me.
This work he hoped would last much longer than the sea.
But in his mind he knew that that could never be.
Whatever man can make won’t last eternally.
Marble, steel, or diamonds, dust again they’ll be.
Another kind of sculptor, whose skills surpassed them all,
Was working out some details on a small celestial ball.
He took much hope and care and placed it on the ground,
And lovingly attended each trait that did abound.
But one poor, wretched soul caught His watchful eye.
He’d need to send some rain from His lightning-studded sky.
And so a rough, cold wind was sent across his path.
He’d need to languish in a prison, but that would soon be past.
His love was not full in bloom, a dry spell must soon be.
And from the western sky came heat and humidity.
It seemed to wilt his entire soul, but compassion it did bring.
So because of Thee, all-knowing One, he learned to cry and sing.
Dashed hopes and plans did soon arrive; they came in day by day.
But soon, because of that, he learned to laugh and pray.
Wisdom, grace, and patience must now begin to grow.
And so into his stressful life children then did flow.
Trials, hurts, and problems were sprinkled here and there.
He needed faith and trust…he really had his share.
Mercy, peace, and tenderness you cannot live without.
Hence He sent a lot of grief so those in time would sprout.
Hope and loving kindness were something he would need.
Along came pain and agony, to force him to his knees.
Hardship, pain, and trials were used to change his ways.
The life that now was formed would last eternal days.
The sculptor’s work was thus all done; his life was now replete.
This was a blessing. Just what we needed.
God is definitely in control.