God is in Command

I recall a memorable scene in a war movie when a captain lead a crew into the heart of a jungle to find a friendly camp in chaos.  Flares exploded overhead and illuminated a rickety bridge.  Flashes of light exposed men huddled in muddy foxholes.  Jeering cries from the enemy were shouted over a loudspeaker while fighters responded with gunfire as they shouted obscenities in terror.  The captain finally demanded of a soldier, "Who is the commanding officer here?"  An unhinged soldier responded, "Ain't you?"  The captain asked another, "Hey soldier, do you know who is in command here?"  The man with a thousand-yard stare answered "Yeah," and slowly walked away.  It was abundantly clear to the inquiring captain no one was in command and left as soon as possible because in that place there was nothing but death for him and his men.

In a limited sense, this is true for all people on this earth.  For the child of God, however, we have received eternal life and a glorious future in the presence of God which we can experience today.  There are times when believers may have the vantage point of those hopeless fighters in the foxholes, feeling without clear guidance and at the mercy of an elusive enemy, forsaken and lost in a trial that drags on without end.  Christians have heard the emphasis of God's love so often they struggle to connect His love with the terrible feelings trials bring:  confusion, worry, cynicism and despair can take hold in a heart created to rejoice in the goodness of God by faith in Jesus Christ.  We can "grit our teeth and bear it" when we are called to cast all our cares upon the LORD because He cares for us, having borne our sins upon Himself on Calvary and caused us to be born again by grace.

When we face troubles a lot of focus is put on 1) what we need to do so 2) God will do what we want Him to.  I have heard a lot of people quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 as a directive for what we should be do when in trouble:  did you know this is in the middle of a sentence?  It did not start with us doing something but what our good and loving God did to draw us to Himself.  2 Chronicles 7:12-15 reads, "Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: "I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. ¹³ When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, ¹⁴ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ¹⁵ Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place."  Difficult circumstances like drought that affected crops and livestock, locusts which stripped plants of food, and pestilence or plagues which afflicted people, were God's doing to draw people to Himself.

Those who blame the devil or even charge God with wrong by what He allows deny themselves the help God has promised to provide those who humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from their wickedness.  We are assured of God's love by the demonstration of Jesus on Calvary and the promises in God's word, for He loves us with an everlasting love; God's mercies are new every morning for great is His faithfulness.  He does not look to a house built with hands but those who humble themselves, fear God and tremble at His word (Isaiah 66:1-2).  The fears and concerns people justify by looking at what is happening in the world are totally unjustified in the knowledge and presence of our awesome God.  Let no one pin the blame primarily on governments, politicians, satanic conspiracies or global warming when God is in command and on the throne, for who is greater than God?  We can know with all certainty, "God is in command here, now and forever."  We don't need to freak out or have the thousand-yard stare but can stand joyful and upright because God is with us.

I urge you, child of God, to lay aside any thoughts or cares that do not fully take God's sovereignty, goodness, love and redemptive purposes into account.  Covid is a global catastrophe like we have never seen, but it is an infinitely greater tragedy when one child of God loses sight of Him and gives into despair and hopelessness when we have the presence of God with us Who will never leave or forsake us.  The trials (and blessings from them) God allows are the proving grounds of faith which strengthen us to endure.  We cannot see good in drought or pestilence, yet our remarkable God remains perpetually good in all seasons.  May our LORD open our eyes to all the good He does like in Ezekiel 17:22-24 with His establishment of Jesus Christ and the everlasting Gospel:  "Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will take also one of the highest branches of the high cedar and set it out. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. ²³ On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell. ²⁴ And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the LORD, have spoken and have done it."