So who’s in Charge. . .?
Joshua 1:7-9 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Psalm 94:8-11 Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? Does he who fashioned the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see? Does he who disciplines nations not punish? Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge? The Lord knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile.
Proverbs 16:1-5, 9 To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster. The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this; they will not go unpunished. . . In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose which will prevail.
Jonah 3:6-10 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let the people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
Jonah 4:1-11 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” (I’m only writing the last couple of verses, 9-11, but this last chapter in Jonah sounds like me without the Holy Spirit!) { 9 } But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” “It is,” he replied, “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.” But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
Matthew 28: 18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Many persons want to avoid committing to God as they fear they will have to give up something they really enjoy—perhaps cigarettes, laziness, drugs, marijuana or other illegals, alcohol, many and varied sexual partners or frequent same sex interactions, or many other things people have chosen to do to avoid following the commandments that God carved on two stones and handed to Moses. They have chosen to honor themselves and not God. And that does not end well. We do not do a great job of being in charge and doing what we WANT to do rather than the protective rules God has placed is our lives. And trust me they are easier to follow than many of OSHAs stringent rules
Afterall, we are in charge, right? Yeah, thankfully, I am NOT. Things would be very much more messed up if I was running things. There is no way I could juggle the planets, the stars, the fish and mammals in the sea, the flight of the birds, all the awesome critters that roam over the earth, as well as clarifying all the different types within one species. How could I possibly keep track of this indigo bunting and that painted bunting and their mates and their young? There are suddenly an abundance of bunnies roaming near me, very rare on the island, and now there are several. But at the rate they reproduce, I certainly know I could not govern them.
And then, of course, trying to keep track of prayers. To listen, hear, and answer prayers in the best manner for each person? No, I am not in charge, and am grateful I am not. Instead, I get to bask in my Father’s love, have a relationship with Him, and when things are perhaps not going as smoothly as I would like, I can complain, or remind Him of my busy day and ask for some smoothing out, or I can be grateful and say, “OK, I know You have a purpose for this delay. Here’s my deep breath. . .now who are You putting in my path? What do You want me to do? And I have had all those different reactions—because I am NOT in charge, even though I sometimes think I am.
So, at those times I have mentally ranted and complained, then I am reminded I am not in charge, and that my complaining is NO different than the whining and complaining the Israelites did in the desert when they could not fathom how they would get water for themselves and their huge herds. Same thing. . . albeit my time crunch is not nearly as dire as their need for water, but complaining and whining is not trusting, and it is not believing, at least in that moment, that He has a plan. It is pure unadulterated selfishness because you are believing that YOUR business of the moment is more vital and important than someone else’s.
The entire story of Jonah running from God’s command to prophesize to Nineveh and running and jumping on a ship was his belief he was in charge. That didn’t turn out so well. . . He was given quite a bit of time to reflect on his decision; and even then he tried to argue with God
We are selfish and self-centered, and I am probably leading the whole bunch of us like a maestro leading an orchestra. Yuck. I so dislike that trait, and although it makes me cringe when I realize I’ve done that again, that big deep breath out is part of the Holy Spirit reminding me I’m being bratty, and all time is His time, not mine. It gives me a whole new perspective. . .and I relax and rest in His charge.
I can’t say I have given up anything I did not want to give up. I relinquished cigarettes and am so thankful I did. I used to curse frequently and had terrible YUCK words spewing forth, and that too is gone. Whatever changes I have made over the years, I have wanted, and none of it has ever felt like a sacrifice, or a struggle to let go.
I have enough with me and ‘mybellaviews’ to keep supervising without thinking I am in charge. I am so thankful He is and He is doing an awesome job always. Thank You God for all the times You remind me You have whatever I have started fretting over, and You are there to comfort, encourage and love me through it. I love You. . . Continue to guide me and ‘mybellaviews.’
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