Who's in Charge?

Just kind of rambling today, I’ll explain my thoughts here and there. I read a few psalms this morning, but then got to work and the happenings over the weekend drew me to Psalm 100.

“Know ye that the Lord, He is God. It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.” (Psalm 100:3)

The reminder to me today was clear. God is in control. Only He can answer the questions that we cannot.

I rehearsed last night with a friend how my recent attempts to discuss personal salvation with a Jehovah’s Witness acquaintance had seemed rather fruitless. His inability to answer questions on assurance of his eternal situation left me disappointed. He actually would not even make the attempt, and I have been praying for him to take a good hard look at Scripture and what it says about eternal security based on the truth of the Gospel. I so badly wanted him to “get it”, and I was left simply leaving it to god to work on His heart.

That’s actually the best place to leave it.

An EMT acquaintance of mine in NJ lost his life today after a rescue accident in flood waters over the weekend. Though I barely knew him, I know a few of his co-workers very well. This stuff happens every day, accidents claim lives, it’s become part of the routine ho-hum nature of the news. Honestly, it left me wondering how we got to be so numb to hearing bad news. I don’t know if this man was a believer; our brief work conversations from a while back never got to that point.

Why have we as a society lost the urgency of concern over the loss of life? Why have we as Christians not been more diligent with our spiritual walk, so that anyone “touching” us at some point would see or hear the Gospel? I know I can say a lot and do little, but yet today I felt compelled to really tell God that I am trying really hard to understand just how great and awesome and holy He really is. I felt compelled to start anew in my efforts to live the life the believer should, to share the great news of Christ more than I ever have before. And I pray that I am not just saying that, and that He will help me do it.

God is not surprised at the actions of the Jehovah’s Witness response to me. Nor was he surprised at what I saw as an untimely death of a young man. When Jesus was faced with questions such as “why this”, or “why that”, He reminded those who would hear that the time to repent was NOW. If we truly see God for who He is, and understand His control over His creation, we just might find life a bit more urgent to be lived…FOR HIM.

“For the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endureth to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)

Thank You, Lord, for being so awesome that we cannot even describe You. Thank You, Lord, for Your Spirit, to give us the ability to know You and to be convicted to live for You, and to share You with those around us. Help us do that today. Amen.