God is in Control?

      Thunderous bombardments of water crashed into the boat. The roller coaster upheaval sea sickened even experienced mariners. Thrown like a bathtub toy, the ship was out of control.

“We perish!” cried the disciples. Resorting to the only option left, they called on the Lord. Roused from sleep, He went to work for his students.

“God is in control” He shouted through the deafening noise.

A giant breaker flung John over the side hanging onto Peter’s garment for his life.

Watching the disciple whom Jesus loved drown, James screamed out,

“Did you say God is in control?”

“Yes, God controls all things.”

Another avalanche of water blinded sight.

“We’re getting killed” shrieked a disciple in the blackness.

“Attitude is ninety percent of the problem,” yelled the Master.

The ship plunged straight downward.

Thomas shouted back,

“Did you say our attitude is the problem?”

“Thomas, nothing ever happens unless God allows it,”

Thomas yelled over the howling winds,

“We must be off course.”

“You just need a new perspective,” screamed the Rabbi.

A gigantic squall pitched them vertical and flung everything backward. Judas’s head cracked against the mast as they tumbled over each other into the stern.

“Everything happens for the good.” said the trusted leader.

“Judas is unconscious!” screamed Andrew.

“Everything happens for a reason,” replied their mentor

Thaddeus screeched,

“My arm is broken!”

The teacher hollered back,

“There are no such things as accidents, Thaddeus.”

Swamped, the boat listed hard a starboard to capsize.

“Can’t something be done about this?” cried the Zealot.

“God is sovereign Simon,” came the reply.

Begging understanding, Matthew cried out,

“Why is God killing us?”

“God works in mysterious ways” exclaimed the barely audible Rabbi.

The battered crew limped ashore from the broken ship. A new gospel soaked into their minds: God is in control, attitude and perspective are all that matters.

Disheartened by the unappealing gospel of a God who does such things to people, the wounded group balked at continuing.

“We can’t understand!” said the Master?

Is God in control? Of course. Is He controlling all things? Of course not! Things happen in any father’s household that he doesn’t allow, but he’s still in charge. Control differs from controlling.

Is God sovereign? Yes, but Christ petitioned “thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven” because here, it’s not (Matt.6:10). God’s sovereign will, allows fallen creation, man’s free will, and the defiance of the evil one to continue (Gal.1:4). Why?

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness but is longsuffering toward us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance,” (2Peter 3:9). His great love extends time for man to choose his eternity.

Obviously, my story is fabricated. It represents the opposites of Christ’s pro-active gospel. “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils…” (Matt.10:8). He did not say, “tell them God never gives you more leprosy than you can handle, God meant your demons for good, death is a blessing, and sickness is a gift.”

Seeing from God’s point of view and improving our attitude has its place, but Christ’s answer for the world’s woes is God’s power, not tricky verbiage rationalizing unbelief. Jesus rebuked the storm! That’s the love of God the world needs to see (John 3:16).

Let’s testify as witnesses of how Jesus literally calmed our storm. Signs follow!

“And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following” (Mk.16:20).

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