by sue a allen
It seems you cannot turn on the radio or listen to the news without quickly realizing what a global world we have become. Our coverage now expands the globe–from hurricane and typhoon tracking, the latest fashion trends, varying religious beliefs, and political tensions. Add to the mess, we have wars and rumors of wars to contemplate. At home. In our schools. At our workplace. As well as in every nook and cranny. Has today’s top news story become our new norm?
There is no going back
We live in a diverse, multi-faceted, interesting, challenging, and uncharted time. No generation before us has faced the type of challenges penetrating our mind. There is no escaping.
We will have to have tough conversations with our children.
We will have to figure out what we believe.
We will need to work diligently for solutions.
We may even have to get our of our comfort zones.
Ostriches put their head in the sand whenever they feel scared or threatened. Hmmm…sometimes, I wish I could do the same. But then I remind myself that Jesus repeatedly told us to “Take courage. Don’t be scared.”
You see, we serve a God who holds the sun and the moon in orbit. He sends rain upon the parched ground. He loves the orphan and the widow. He uses the weak and simple to completely confound the wise.
He is an unexplainable God
We reason as best as we can and yet, we come to our wit’s end. At some point or another, we each will throw up our hands. We don’t hold all the answers. We cannot protect our little ones from harm’s way. We do not know what tomorrow holds. Or even how this day will end.
As if somehow holding all the answers would unlock hidden treasures to behold. We want answers to our questions. We long to be in control. But God…the God we serve…asks us to think outside the box and surrender to Him our everything. Let’s face it, we could never handle the job title “God.” The pressure. The deadlines. The requests. The challenges of God would completely blow our minds! Taking care of tasks in the heavenly realms is a mighty tall order.
Let’s appreciate that our job task is one of surrender
God asks us to follow…even in the dark.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
God asks us to follow…even in the wilderness.
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. Exodus 13:21
God asks us to follow…even when it seems ridiculous.
And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat,[a]and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” Joshua 6:2-5
God asks us to follow…even when it hurts.
And he [Job] said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21
We are blessed to serve a God who is sovereign. Whatever it is you are going through today…Jesus Himself will walk there with you. As crazy it may sound, we are about to celebrate the birth of our Savior who came on Christmas morn. If you tell others you worship a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, they may think you’ve completely lost your mind.
To think…God Himself in all of His glory gave up all that He had to come to earth and save mankind. He gave up angels singing praises to Him 24/7 to be rejected by everyone He knew. A crown of thorns would replace His crown of royalty. Instead of ruling a kingdom, He became the “least of them.” Why would God even consider doing such a thing?
Because He loves you more than you can ever fathom
We do not need to live life in fear. We serve a God who has everything under control. What fears are holding you back from completely surrendering to God? What would it look like for you to live life without fear?
