He's got you in His hands

(photo credit: peoplestrustaustralia.blogspot.com)

"This is the plan, planned for the whole earth, And this is the hand that will do it, reaching into every nation. God-of-the-Angel-Armies has planned it. Who could ever cancel such plans? His is the hand that's reached out. Who could brush it aside?" (Isaiah 14:26-27, The Message)

Like many of you, I learned a song when I was a child: "He's got the whole world in His hands".

It is a little harder to believe when you are grown up and the world seems spinning out of control. Wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, vicious dictators, political gridlock, economic stresses, illness ... You get the point.

We are left to draw the conclusion that either: (1) God is not really in control or (2) God is uncaring or unkind or (3) God loves us and He is orchestrating all these things as a part of His plan for the world.

I am not satisfied with any of those options. 

So, here's my take: God loves us abundantly and the world is ultimately and completely in His hands. He has established boundaries that we cannot cross without consequences. Within those boundaries, He has given us the gift of choosing how we will respond to Him. None of our choices will ever take us beyond the reaches of His love, but they can take us to a place where He will allow us to live with the consequences of our choices. He is in control, but His purpose is not controlling us. He gives freedom to choose and desires that we would choose to live in loving and grateful obedience to Him.

Question: How will you choose to live in His hands today?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.