Discipleship Network Forum

“God is in control. This is no time for fear—it is a time for faith and determination.

There is a bottom line drawn across the ages. Culture can make its plan, but the line never changes.

No matter how deception may fly, there is one thing that has always been true and will be true forever.

He is still the Lord of all we see, He is still the loving Father watching over everything and you and me.”

(Twila Paris)

If we’re honest, we admit sometimes we find it hard to believe God is in control—

when we are flustered, scared, or confused, not knowing which way to turn;

when we consider the moral corruption rampant in American society;

when we hear predictions of a possible 30-year war against ISIS;

when we’re concerned about the Ebola virus spreading;

when we read about bloody international conflicts;

when we wonder if peace will ever prevail.

Pondering the sadness of the human situation, we wonder—

How did people believe in God during WWI, when 16 million died?

How did people trust God during the Black Death, when 200 million died?

How did people believe in God during the Holocaust, when 6 million Jews died?

“Hominum confusione et Dei providentia Helvetica reqitur”—

a Latin saying that originated in the political unrest of the 16th century,  

“Switzerland is governed by the confusion of men and the providence of God”,

was revived by theologian Karl Barth in the midst of the second World War.

Changing Switzerland to “world”, he stated poignantly the Christian credo of history.

The human race has turned God’s world upside down, but God is still in control.

We dare to believe that someday it will finally be clear to the entire universe.

“Be still, my soul, your God does undertake to guide the future as he has the past.

Your hope, your confidence, let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last.”

(Katherine von Schlegel)

“This is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—

everything in heaven and on earth.” (Ephesians 1:10 NLT)

Johnny R. Almond

Christian preacher and writer

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Gentle Whispers From Eternity-Scripture Personalized available from Amazon.com

Ready For the Road Ahead

             One time while visiting Cape May, Jeff and I saw a print in a gallery that we just had to have.  It was a photograph of a lighthouse off the coast of France, well known for the stormy waves that crash upon it each day.  A photographer in a helicopter had captured one of those waves as it smashed around the base of the lighthouse while the lighthouse keeper blithely looked skyward  to see what the noise was all about.  One glance at this picture and you want to yell, "Watch out!!  Get inside!!"

            How many times over the years have you been gripped by headlines such as the ones concerning Egypt recently.  As of February 7 the chaos in Cairo had continued for 14 days.   Headlines on that day also proclaimed clashes in Cambodia, protesting in Turkey,  and ships being raided by pirates in India.  It seems that the world is a fearful place to live without a shelter to keep us safe in the storm.  One glance at the headlines and your mind wants to yell, "Watch out!!!  Stay inside!!" 

            No one understood better about how chaotic life could be than the ancient Israelite.  Due to its key location on the path of several major trade routes linking 3 continents, Israel was constantly subjected to attacks and turnovers.   Not only was their little sliver in the fertile crescent valuable for trade, other nations such as Assyria and Egypt, were on a mission to prove that their gods were far more powerful than Yahweh.  They viewed their military victories as a reason to proclaim that Yahweh was weak and undependable.  As threats for another invasion surfaced it was enough to cause any faithful Israelite to yell, "Watch out!!  Don't go outside!!"

            This month Jewish people will celebrate the festival of Purim whose story is found in the book of Esther.   The Israelites had been conquered by Persia and some, like Esther, were now in exile.  Times were unstable and uncertain.  The strange thing about the book of Esther is that God's name is never mentioned.  It appears that God is not involved in the story at all.  Actually, God is very cleverly disguised within the story, and to the faithful there is no doubt that He is the source of Esther's courage and the reason the Jews prevail.

            Sometimes the chaos of the world feels the same way.  No matter what continent, no matter what nation or state, strife and turmoil seem to say that God is not involved in our world at all.  Times are unstable and uncertain.  However, the psalmist encourages us in Psalm 46 that even when mountains shake and the waters roar, God is in the midst of His people acting as an anchor and a source of hope which will see us through the storm safely (Heb. 6:13-20).   We may not see it; we may not sense it, but we know God is at work in our story.

            The Sea of Galilee is often depicted as an idyllic body of water surrounded by pleasant hills.  However, it is not always that peaceful.  Cutting into those rolling hills are gorges called "scarps" and when the wind blows down through the scarps on to the Sea of Galilee it stirs up the water and sailing becomes treacherous.  Such a storm is recorded in Luke 8:22-25.  This storm was so fierce that even the disciples who were seasoned fishermen feared they were about to die.  Whether it is a massive wave off the coast of France, a disturbing headline about our chaotic world, or a storm upon the Sea of Galilee, there is only one thing to do when a storm of that intensity comes your way.  Esther turned to God through fasting and prayer.  The disciples turned to Jesus.  Rather than succumbing to panic or hiding when life seems out of control, our best recourse is to follow in the footsteps of the psalmist and place our trust in the Lord (Ps. 121) for that is where our help comes from.                                                                                 Ann H. LeFevre    2/13/2011