Dear Missionary Lady,
Greetings in the name of our sovereign God. Aren't you glad
He is in control?
Consider the alternatives. If Satan were in control, evil
and destruction would be unchecked. If evil men were in control, our world
would be an ugly and unfriendly place. If good men were in control, they would
still make wrong decisions and would be powerless to accomplish all they wanted
to do. If we ourselves were in control, we would make decisions that later we
would realize were not right.
Thankfully, none of those people are in control. Their
wickedness, weakness, or lack of wisdom would lead to disaster. God, on the
other hand, always knows the right thing and always has the power to bring it
about. "For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all
gods" (Psalm 135:5).
Because He is so great and powerful, He does everything that
He desires. "Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in
earth, in the seas, and all deep places" (v. 6).
The Bible is filled with wonderful examples of how God
intervened and overruled. Psalm 135 shares several examples. God chose Israel
as His special people (v. 4). He controls the weather (v. 7). He brought
judgment to Egypt, incredible plagues, mighty deliverance, military conquests, and
carved out an inheritance for His people (vs. 8-12).
His mighty, controlling hand has not stopped. You have seen
Him do great and unexpected things in your life. You have witnessed situations
that would have been unbelievable apart from God's intervention.
People often reflect back at the end of the year on God's
great works. Psalm 135 gives the proper response at such times: praising God
and blessing God, (which together are mentioned eleven times in vs. 1-3 and
19-21). I trust that you have much to praise Him for over the past year - souls
saved, hard hearts broken, lives transformed, wisdom, growth, safety, health,
provision, and more.
God's choices are not always pleasant at the time. Some of
them are painful and confusing, but that doesn't make them wrong. Even in
sickness, accidents, closed doors, and setbacks, God is still accomplishing
whatever He pleases. He uses adversity and difficulty to achieve His purposes,
and sometimes we don't see the benefit until later.
As you stand at the end of this year, may your heart be
filled with praise for what God has done, both what you understand and
appreciate as well as the situations for which you still await the
illumination. As you look forward to a new year and the uncertainty that it
holds, may you rest confidently in the one who will accomplish His purposes.
Even though you don't know what will happen, you can trust the great God who
does whatsoever He pleases.
Love in Christ,
Peggy Holt
member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
www.pressingontohigherground.blogspot.com
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