In the noise of the world, I thought we could all use some happy reminders today. Sometimes, it feels like God has lost control of the room or has stepped away from His office. With everything that’s going on, we can start to wonder if He’s taken an extended vacay or if He’s staring off into outer space. Most days, it feels like the bad guys are winning. Right is mocked. Wrong is celebrated. Justice is hit or miss. As Christians, we can sort of act and talk like we’ve been swallowed up by it all. Overwhelmed and defeated by the news of the day. We wring our hands and worry about the world our children and grandchildren will be left to navigate. Sometimes, it may be hard to listen to us talk and tell that we believe God is, always has been, and always will be in control. Even though we know it in our heads, we may need to remind ourselves often so we can stay focused and reclaim our hope and joy. I thought we’d do that today. 

How it started:

“He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.” (Psalm 104:5) “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17) “Look up into the heavens and see who has created the stars. He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name.” (Isaiah 40:26) “He who made the Pleiades and Prion and changes deep darkness into morning, who also darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the Lord is His name.” (Amos 5:8) “He makes the clouds rise from the ends of the earth; He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from the storehouses.” (Psalm 135:7) “He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down.” (Job 37:6) “He makes the grass grow for the livestock and provides crops for man to cultivate, bringing forth food from the earth.” (Psalm 104:14) “As long as the earth exists, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.” (Genesis 8:22) “Who kept the sea inside its boundaries….For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores. I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.’” (Job 38:8,10-11) “The mountains rose, and the valleys sank down to the place that You appointed for them.” (Psalm 104:8) “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Fathers feeds them.” (Matthew 6:26) “All creatures look expectantly to You to give them their meals on time. You come, and they gather around; You open Your hand and they eat from it.” (Psalm 104:27) “You are the one who put me together inside my mother’s body.” (Psalm 139:13) “When my bones were being formed, carefully put together in my mother’s womb, when I was growing there in secret, You knew I was there.” (Psalm 139:15) “Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.” (Psalm 139:16) When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:3-4)

How it’s going: 

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8) “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21) “The Lord works out everything to its proper end- even the wicked for a day of disaster.” (Proverbs 16:4) “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) “In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:10) “God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.” (Psalm 47:8) “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10) “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the sea.” (Psalm 46:1-2) “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1) “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You.” (Isaiah 26:3) “The Lord of Heaven’s armies has sworn this oath: ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.” (Isaiah 14:24) “For kingship and the kingdom are the Lord’s and He rules over the nations.” (Psalm 22:28) “For He is our God and we are the people He watches over, the flock under His care.” (Psalm 95:7) “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) 

 How it ends: 

“Behold He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. All people on earth will weep because of Him.” (Revelation 1:7) “And I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them and they will be His people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.’ Then the One seated on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new.’” (Revelation 21:3-5) “God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

How to be sure: 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) “For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:17) “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8) “He was pieced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity. He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by His wounds we were healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)