In the Hand of God

Isaiah 42:5-6a “This is what God the LORD says— he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.”

The world seems so big, and the problems of this world (i.e. war, terrorism, socialism, politics, radical extremist groups, stock market, financial, & economic down-turns, health-care, social break down in morality, violence, natural disasters, etc.) on top of the demands on our time (fast paced busyness of appointments, obligations, errands, chores, work, entertainment, personal health & fitness, budget, bills, family, friends, home, church, etc.) can feel overwhelming, bringing us to our wits end, and affect our spiritual fruit of joy, peace, patience, gentleness and self-control.

I’m not even going to mention traffic jams or getting cut-off on the roadway by another vehicle. But what I am going to mention is that we really need to step back, when our problems appear so big, and think about how big God the Lord is, because He is bigger than any and all problems in the world, and we can trust Him and His promises. As the passage tells us, He created the heavens, the earth, and all that come out of it. He gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it. God not only created everything, but orders, rules and maintains everything with love and care in righteousness. And he has called each and every one of us to righteous living by His perfect Word, Will and Way, that the fruit of the Spirit may fill our hearts and overflow from us towards others. We, His beloved children, know that we can take our problems to Him daily because the passage goes on to speak about our close personal relationship with our creator Father. He is so big that He created everything, yet comes to each one of us to, individually, take hold of our hand.

In John chapter 15, our Lord Jesus, our Good Shepherd, gives a vivid picture of our safe and secure position as Children of God, verses 27-30, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." We hear of the patience of Job, who, though he, literally lost everything, did not sin in his great loss and was able to say with a faithful and grateful heart, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD” (JOB 1:21). Despite any problems in this life, our God the Lord is bigger than any problem, and we are always and forever in His loving and secure hand. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

In His hand, Brian