Give me a word, Lord: I AM NOT IN CONTROL, BUT I KNOW WHO IS

Psalm 103:17-19 But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.

Isaiah 26:20 Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. (Read Isaiah chapter 26 in full to see in context.)

Last year, when all of the quarantining began, I kept seeing this verse pasted all over the place. “Go home, my people, and lock your doors! Hide yourselves for a little while until the Lord’s anger has passed.” (Isaiah 26:20) I started wondering about the context of Isaiah 26:20 after reading this verse, so I read the whole chapter. (It’s always important to read a verse in it’s context rather than pick & choose verses that please us. (Raise your hand if you’ve ever been guilty of that?) Isaiah 26 is a chapter in which the prophet Isaiah is praising God for His sovereign care of His people. It is actually a song of praise. A song of confidence in God because in the end, God achieves the final victory on our behalf!

In Genesis 7:16, God shut Noah up in the ark so He would be safe during God’s judgement. In Isaiah 26, he is speaking of God’s judgement in the past, present, and future, and how God keeps His people safe. We must hide in the refuge of God, and He will protect us in life and in death. Just because we are people of faith, living a good life, doing right things, this doesn’t mean we are going to be spared from hard times, sickness, or even suffering. Some days we feel like we suffer all day long! But through it all, we can take comfort in knowing that we live in the shelter of the Most High. We can trust in Him, and not live in fear.

My quiet time reading this morning was from Psalm 103. I was reminded once again from the treasure of God’s Word that He is sovereign. He has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over ALL! He doesn’t just rule over some. He rules over all. We live in a scary, evil world. My heart cries for those who are suffering, and those who are lost. But I know that no matter what happens GOD IS OUR REFUGE! Let me shout that again a little louder for those in the back. GOD IS OUR REFUGEE! He will show mercy to us, and He will protect us for eternity. We are safe in the arms of God. He is our refuge! We must only remember that we are living for and serving a sovereign God. He’s got this. He’s not surprised by the current state of affairs. And the best part of it all is that He already has it all worked out for our good and His glory. No, I am not in control, but I am so thankful that I know who is. Do you?