Lindsay L. O'Connor

I am amazed at how faithful our God is to reveal Himself to us in new ways. I had been feeling a bit anxious about up-coming events (this is what happens when a recovering worrywort decides to go on a mission trip to Kenya) and sat down to read the Bible earlier this afternoon. I prayed a simple but sincere prayer before I began to read: “Lord, open my eyes,” and then, getting even more honest and expectant, “You gotta give me something.” Maybe a little demanding, but to my relief, He heard and answered my prayer. Right away. I was reading Moses’ blessing for the twelve tribes of Israel (given right before he died) and this verse practically LEAPED off the page at me:

About Benjamin he said: Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.
Deuteronomy 33:12

When I consider that I am among “the beloved of the LORD,” I find this verse and reminder of God’s love and sovereignty as refreshing as a cool breeze on a hot summer day. I am in awe of our loving, sovereign heavenly Father, who is so patient with me. He never stops reassuring me, over and over and over again, that He loves me and is in control, that He is continually taking care of me, protecting me and those whom I love. Some people learn many different life lessons along the way during their walk with the Lord, and while I am continually learning a myriad of spiritual truths, my most heart-piercing, profound revelations seem to come back to the same two truths:
1. No matter how out-of-control things seem to be, the Lord remains sovereign and in control. Always. No matter what. No exceptions.
2. The Lord is not only in control but is lovingly in control. He loves us unfailingly, with a love that we can’t even comprehend. Basically, it comes down to “Jesus loves me, this I know.”

I don’t know about you, but apparently, two of my greatest needs are for security and unfailing love. While I don’t always remember to go to God first to have these needs met, He is so faithful in bringing me back to these truths and in drawing me back to Himself. I seem to become the most fearful when I feel out of control, and so first and foremost, I need to know that someone is steering this lifeboat–someone who knows what He’s doing. My default is to try to take control myself, and if that doesn’t seem to be working, I try desperately to find someone else who seems competent to take control for me. Just as I’m having the panicky realization that NO ONE can control everything, the Lord steps in and reminds me that He can and does have control, whether or not I remember or acknowledge it. The lot is cast into the lap but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33). Whew! Big relief.

Secondly, if someone is in fact in control of absolutely everything, the capability and intentions of that someone suddenly become extremely important, as this means that my very life is in His hands. This is when reminders of God’s love come into play. He is not a cold-hearted, distant all-powerful being, playing games with our lives just for fun or waiting to wreak havoc on us at His whim. He is so compassionate and loving and concerned with His children, personally and individually, that He became one of us and endured more suffering than any of us can fully appreciate. He is completely in tune with each of us and perceives our thoughts from afar (Psalm 139:2). He knows the very number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39).

I need not fear this world or what man can do or even what I can do because the Lord is sovereign and in control. Not only is He in control, but He loves me and is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in lovingkindness (Psalm 145:8). In His sovereignty, He has my best interest in mind, even though I don’t always understand it. So when I start feeling like my universe is spinning out of control (and let’s be honest, sometimes it doesn’t take much for me to feel that way!), how comforting to remember that SOMEONE is in charge here and that that SOMEONE is my all-powerful, gracious, loving heavenly Father.