Who’s In Control
(Member of GS Youth)
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
As a confident eight-year-old, I firmly believed that I was in complete control of the electric scooter on which I was whizzing around the garden of our holiday hotel. As I carelessly soared along, I noticed a potential hazard in the periphery of my vision - a hotel worker wheeling a large cart stacked with wooden crates. Realising that we were on the path to convergence, I attempted to brake, only to find myself so paralyzed with fear that I held the accelerator even tighter and couldn’t let go. My speed increased. I plummeted towards the worker, and crashed into him with an enormous clatter, as both cart and crates cascaded onto the floor.
We want to be in control, and we live in a society which constantly tells us that we both have and deserve this control over our lives; we alone are the one true self-determining factor in our destiny. However, when we take the reins, believing we are in control, and place ourselves in charge above God, it is a lot easier for our lives to be blown off course. Putting ourselves in charge can result in further anxiety and may lead to decision-making which is harmful to both ourselves and others. But the Bible tells us that God is in control, and remembering this in our day-to-day lives does two things:
1) It reminds us to look to him for wisdom when making decisions; this prevents us taking harmful actions on account of weak choices influenced by any source other than him.
2) It fills us with peace in the knowledge that we are not burdened with the exhausting job of directing everything around us, but are instead protected and safe in his plans. As highlighted in the verse above, God will forever journey with and before us, so there is no need to be afraid.
Prayer — Lord, thank you so much that you have complete control over our lives. I pray that you would guide us with your wisdom, and fill us with the peace and knowledge that we are under your loving protection and complete understanding.