Apr 27 2009
He Who Watches Our Backs
As bad as the news is these days, I’m amazed to see that I’m not terrified and in a panic. Of course, those tendencies are still there, but as long as I run to my secret place, with God, and dump all those fears, asking Him to replace them with peace, I can go on, putting one foot in front of the other, doing the next thing, knowing He’s in control.
This year He’s clearly proven Himself again and again, making a way where there was no way, from a human viewpoint. He’s listened to me, lifted me up, and worked out every detail of our lives. This is a good thing, because it only reinforces what I’ve always said I believed–that He’s sovereign and on top of every situation. It’s built my faith, so that when things are hard I can trust Him again.
My good friend Gideon Mudenyo, a pastor/evangelist in Kenya, can probably testify with even more power, because God is doing an amazing work amid famine, drought, death and destruction/ civil war. In His latest note to me he said to keep praying, because things are desperate, but no matter what happens, Jesus is still worthy of their praise. Isn’t that an incredible testimony? That in the middle of terrifying situations, He is still God, still sovereign, and is working among them to win souls and give hope where in human terms, there is none.
It sounds to me like a worldwide economic crash is coming, and of course, I hate as much as anyone else to believe that, but if it’s true, we are wise if we prepare our hearts and minds, placing our trust on the only One who can help us–God.
He cares that we are frightened, but again, He says 365 times in His Word, “Fear not.” He is in control even when things look out of control. He has ordained the circumstances that plague mankind now, as a judgment for unrepentant hearts that have been warned time and again.
So now is the time for us as believers to seek Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies, and practice talking to Him, dumping our junk in His lap, and receiving His peace. We must be ready to hear and obey His voice when He speaks, because He may ask us to do things that do not seem logical in the least. But He always knows exactly what He’s doing, and we would do well to get behind Him, and in so doing, save our very lives until the end.
I did hear something the other day that encouraged me. Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham, said he believes we only have to look at Scripture to see the pattern regarding whether we will be here for the Tribulation. He said that in every situation, God always removed His own to safety before releasing His judgment and wrath. Before burning Sodom and Gomorrah God removed Lot and his family. Before flooding the earth, He removed Noah and his family. And He will remove us before He pours out His wrath.
Because I had never thought of it in those terms I immediately had to agree with him, because God’s Word is the model for how He operates from the beginning of time until the end. We can count on that.
But now is the time to begin praying fervently for the salvation of those we love, for sharing the gospel and giving God our very best. While there’s still time.
Because of His great love,
Nancy
