You know it's interesting the illusion we all live under. Thinking that we have it all under "control". That we are in control of our lives. When in fact, we have nothing in control at all!

 ...And I ironically enough! ....I was just reminded of this (just five minutes ago) when my electricity went out as I started to write this for the first time! ...So here I start again...

And I was reminded of this the other day. As I watched a wind storm tear my yard and neighborhood part. And as I worked for thirteen hours on the aftermath. With a chainsaw and axe on the damage of my yard.

You see it happened Sunday. It was suppose to be mostly sunny, fair weather. But what happend? Was anything, but "docile". Later, it was reported that we had 75 mile per hour winds. Not only here in central Ohio. But in the Dayton area where I have family, and in Cincinnati. And in other parts of the country. Many of us (and myself for some time) were without electricity. The winds were tearing apart trees and some homes. It was completely unexpected.

You know we all seem to think that we are in "control" of our lives. We make plans in our hearts. What "job", we are going to have. Who we are going to marry. Or whether we stay single. The number of children we will have. What we are going to make of our lives. But as a dear friend and brother once told me, "life is what you plan for, but the future is what you get".

I remember when I was young. What I wanted to be. What I was going to do with my life.

I use to laugh at preachers and what I would term as "bible thumpers". I mocked them. I thought little of anyone who would turn the cheek. Anyone who would not stand and fight. I made my share of trouble. I mocked the law. I had much tragedy in my life. My doing, and the doing of others. I lost much, even in my adult life. Even as a christian. My children, everything that was dear to me.

And if anyone ever would have said to me, when I was younger, that I would be a follower and lover of Jesus. Let alone a minister? I would have laughed them to scorn as much as they laughed at Jesus (Mt 9:24).

You see the point of this, is this. Not any of us are in control of what many term our "destiny". None of us can control our lives, our future.

And there should be no better proof of our lack of control. Control over our lives, or the lives of others. Than the reality of this life! Why? Because if any of us think of the times where we have been disappointed, or surprised, good, or bad in life. We will remember, that often we did not see it coming!

You see we can't control our lives, or what will happen to us. Any more, than we can control the wind. Or catch it in our hands! And I was reminded of this Sunday as I watched the wind tear apart my trees. My neighbors trees, (and) or their homes.

You see reality is this, only God is really in control:

The LORD has established His throne in heaven,
         And His kingdom rules over all. 

              (Psalm 103:19 NKJV)

 And this can be so discontenting for those who do not know Jesus. It can be scary. The losses and pains of this life. The helplessness that is felt.

But yet for those of us that really know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We should be encouraged, we should rejoice! Why? Because we are God's children!

 And He is in control:

"In his heart a man plans his course,
        but the LORD determines his steps."

                (Proverbs 16:9 NIV)

Even when we feel there is none!

And He is EVER walking with us, and helping us:

  "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,
         And He delights in his way.
   Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
         For the LORD upholds him with His hand."

                 (Psalm 37:23-24 NKJV)

You see this life throws all kinds of things at us. Because we live in a fallen world. Rejection, scorn, mistreatment, racism, abuse, adultery, death, hate, and all kinds of pain. Some our doing, some others, some the circumstances of life. But no matter what, God is in control! 

 And if we are truly His children? We have nothing to fear:

 "The LORD is on my side;
          I will not fear.
          What can man do to me?"

            (Psalms 118:6 NKJV)

It does not matter what we are going through. It doesn't matter if we lose all we love. All we need, or think we need. Our possessions, our jobs, our homes, our wives, husbands, our family, etc.The one we truly need we can never lose. The one that will never desert us. The one we all come to realize in the end that we cannot live without. The one we realize that He is the only one we really needed all along! The one we know as our Lord and Savior, Jesus. He will never leave us! Nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). We can never lose Him! And He will never lose us:

 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

                           (John 10:28-30 NKJV)

You see in the end, all we really have is Jesus. And He is all we really need. He is our "constant". None of us are in control. But thank the Lord, if we know Jesus! He is in control. And as His children. He is always (and ever) looking out for the the welfare of His children! Even in the times we make poor choices. He uses those for our good (Romans 8:28).

Earlier you read that I was reminded again as I wrote this, that I am not in control. As I lost the power and I lost what was written the first time. But I was also just reminded shortly ago, in a wonderful way. What an awesome blessing it is to be a child of the Lord! You see about an hour ago (as I was writing this). I need to go check on the clothes in my dryer. As I got up to go do this, the Lord spoke to my heart. He said, "John, you better save it this time, the power is going to go off again in a few minutes". So I saved what was written this time. Then I went to check on my clothes. A few minutes later the power went off again! And God was good on His word. Everything was saved.

You see, it's an awesome blessing to know the One who has ALL in control! And to know that He truly cares about every detail of our lives.

If you are a child of the Lord. It does not matter what place you are in life. What you are going through (or where your going). NO one, or NOTHING, can take you away from Him. No circumstance can separate you from His presence, from His love.

So think on this when you feel the "sting" of not being in control of your life. When everything has gone wrong, or is going wrong, or you feel it is.

And remember what Paul said:

  "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:


      “ For Your sake we are killed all day long;
       We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

                         (Romans 8:31-39 NKJV)