Week 18
Ephesians 1:11 “Also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.”
Almost all of us feel at certain times that life is out of control. There are moments when we feel as if the entire world is blown about by arbitrary winds of fate and meaninglessness. Oh, what fear rises in our hearts when we think, “What is going to happen?” “What will we do if the worst comes?” The monsters of “what ifs” come growling and prowling about as if to devour our faith, our hope, and our peace.
But then, in the midst of the whirling uncertainties of our situation, we once again think of God in His sovereignty and glory. We read Ephesians 1:11, and we realize something so simple, yet so powerful, that will make all the difference for our souls and our assurance that we so desperately need.
In a world of complexity, dynamic shifts, and paradigm transformations, we see a glorious truth that cuts through the fog of doubt and terror: God works all things according to the counsel of His will.
We must remember that God is God, and no one else. He is infinite God, He is eternal God, He is transcendent God, He is the triune God, and He is immutably God. He has personality, thoughts, feelings, and a will. He has plans to providentially intervene to bring about a great permutation of the seeming randomness of human history. There is order out of chaos; there is logic over contradiction. There is reason, there is planning, and there is purpose – God’s purpose. And God’s purpose rules over every single aspect of life, from the largest considerations to the smallest problem. And most particularly, God exercises His omnipotence and sovereign goodness to accomplish the salvation of His people. All of this is accomplished in keeping with God’s great eternal plan.
What peace comes from this truth for God’s people! When we endure the hostilities of others, when we are bruised from angry words from misunderstanding, and when we feel like the ceiling of our hope is in danger of collapsing onto our heads, we have this secure truism that will prop up our comfort in the darkest of days – God is working all things out in keeping with the counsel of His perfect will.
So, on those days when we feel we will wilt in sadness, let us hold onto this truth. On those days when grief slams us with such force that it seems that all of life is driven out of us, let us hold tenaciously to this truth, and when we feel like giving up and quitting, let us unyieldingly grab hold of this truth. God’s sovereignty is over us, for us, and on our behalf will see us through the day of trial, and it will bring us some day into the sunshine of joy and thanksgiving.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I ask that when I feel like all is lost, and when I feel that my world is in chaos, help me to remember that YOU are in control of my world and my life. Hold onto me that I may hold onto You. Amen.