I come before You tonight, Father, listening to what You would say to me. May I give You my full attention. Amen.
Luke 8:22-25 (<<click to read the passage)
Wow! As I was reading through the notes of my study Bible*…well, let me let you read it yourself first.

When caught in the storms of life, it is easy to think that God has lost control and that we’re at the mercy of the winds of fate. In reality, God is sovereign. He controls the history of the world as well as our personal destiny. Just as Jesus calmed the waves, he can calm whatever storms you may face.

Does it feel like we are in a storm…and a huge one at that? Across our globe, we are dealing with an overwhelming viral storm…and death and destruction follow behind in its wake. Uncertainty. Panic. Fear. Anxiety. Many, if they even believe in God at all, probably feel that He has “lost control” and that even with all of our attempts to shield ourselves from its onslaught that “we’re at the mercy of the winds of fate.” It may feel that way but it most certainly is not the case.
First of all, as I have now lived for over half a century (!) I believe, more firmly today than ever in my life, that God IS in control! Each one of us has a free will. Individually, we can choose if we will accept Jesus as our savior or if we will refuse His offer of salvation. No one can make that decision for us and though He longs for us to do so, even God Himself will not force us to do so. We alone must choose.
That being said, we have absolutely no choice in what transpires in the world…or for that matter what transpires in our own lives. We try to control those things, but they are beyond our grasp.
I wrote a post back in September of last year entitled God Is Sovereign (<<click to read the post) which touched upon this reality. But when all is said and done, God is in charge of it all…not us.
I am not saying that God brought this horrific pandemic upon us, but He has allowed it. He did not stop it. Since the beginning of time, God has allowed us to pass through all kinds of storms – some from the natural course of life and some storms that are of our own making. In doing so His goal is that those “storms” impact us in ways that will hopefully draw us (or push us) to Him.
And for those of us who have sought Him out for our salvation, even in the midst of these storms, we find our refuge in Him. We may feel like crying out as the disciples did, “Master, Master, we are about to die!” But His response to us is the same as it was to them. He calms the storm and brings about “[a perfect peacefulness]” And we are asked as well, “Where is your faith [your confidence in Me]?”
So…what is your answer? Has the uncertainty of the future – that storm howling about you –petrified you with fear? Or are you placing your faith – your confidence – in the Master for the perfect peacefulness found only in Him? He truly is Sovereign of all, and our only place of refuge is by His side.

*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation

Mar 22nd, 2020, Sun, 7:30 pm