How are Christians supposed to think about the seemingly chaotic events going on all around us? We are faced with economic hardships, natural disasters and wars. What is going on and what is God doing?
In the past two posts we have looked at the political side of things as well as the natural world. Today we look at this from another point of view.
In Romans 8:28 we read, “God works all things together for good, for them who love God, for those who are the called according to his purpose.” No matter how things seem as to how bad they are for us, we should become cynics and think that God is somehow out to hurt us. Look at what he told Jeremiah in 29:11. “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” No matter how things look around us, we must focus on the truth. God is working for the good of his children. That does not mean there will be no hardship. What it does mean is that we are to glory in tribulations because we know the fruit that that hardship will produce in our lives. (Romans 5:3)
In addition to his promise to work for our good, God is also doing all things for his glory. In Isaiah 48:11 he says that he will not give his glory to anyone else. In Isaiah 46:10 he says that he will be exalted among the nations.
God is at the pinnacle. There is no one else equal to him. He is the ever-existent one who created everything else. He is not one among equals. Because of who he is and because of his character, he expects and should receive the glory and honor that is due. Everything he does is ultimately for that purpose. In Revelation 11:13 a future earthquake is foretold. This earthquake will kill 7,000 people, but the remaining people will fear and give God glory. He deserves all of the glory and honor we as mere humans can muster.
Besides working for our good and his glory we need to remember that God does what he does based on his own timetable. He is never late and he is never early. It was just at the right time that Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6) There is an interesting prophecy in Daniel 11 regarding certain kings and battles that are to come. Over and over the author uses the phrase “at the time appointed.” That’s because God not only controls everything, but he does so based on a time table known only to him.
So as we look around us and see so many things happening that seem to be out of control, we need to remember that God is working out his purposeful plan for the good of his people, for the glory of his name and according to a timeframe of his planning. That should give us a great deal of confidence and courage to face whatever may lie ahead.
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