Each morning I read, or rather listen to, the scripture:
- I go to biblegateway.com,
- find the verse of the day,
- expand it into a full chapter,
- and click on a button that commands this man to read to me.
Did I mention he
has an English accent? So cool. I feel like I have my own butler. And I can
close my eyes or bow my head or look out the window and really let the power of
the words sink in.
Maybe two days ago, the verse of the day came from Romans 13.
It happened again today – different verse but same chapter. It was the first
verse of the chapter (in NIV) that got me both days:
13 1Let
everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority
except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been
established by God.2
Four years ago about this time, I was so
concerned about the state of the nation that I fasted and prayed the full four
days leading up my vote. I needed God to know how important that election was.
I needed Him to know the burden I felt for the US. I did a lot of hand-wringing
during that time, but I still trusted that God would have His way. I believed that
His vision for the country’s future was entwined with mine.
And then the winners were proclaimed. And I thought, “What?!?
Lord, were you with me for the last four days? Did you not see my sincerity?
Did you not believe me?”
It was as if I heard Him say, “Yeah, I was there. And I
believed you when you said that, over everything, you wanted Me to have My way.
I am not your genie in a bottle.” Ouch.
If there’s anything I’ve learned over the last four years,
it’s that there is nothing that happens on earth that comes as a surprise to
God. We call Him sovereign for a reason. And we either believe it or we don’t.
God has this ingenious way of working all things together
for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. He
promises He will do this in his Word (Romans 8:28). We either claim this
promise or we worry and fret in our own limited, faulty, human understanding
and wonder why God doesn’t move.
Some will feel exuberant over the results. Others might feel
doom. Though we don’t know exactly when the elections will be called and the winners
declared, we can rest assured that, “there is no authority except that which
God has established.” His way is perfect. When we accept that, we are on the
path toward living a truly balanced life.
Are you having trouble releasing your will into God’s hands? How might
I pray for you?
Enjoy your day. Enjoy this blog.
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