What a great reminder! It is neither the Democratic or the Republican National Committees that get their candidates elected; it is not how well organized the parties are at the grassroots level; it is not the hundreds of millions of dollars that we now spend to “buy” elections—although those factors certainly play into the outcome. But at the end of the day, it is what God permits that determines who will rise and who will fall.

The truth is, we see only a little slice of history. From our perspective, the country was desperately needing change, or we were in a war and we needed a wartime leader in the Oval office, or whatever other scenario we used to describe our current context. But God lives outside of time and above circumstances, and he is moving human history to a conclusion that he has foreordained. Daniel 2:20-21 reminds us,

Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
He sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

If we could truly absorb that truth and embrace it as a guiding principle for our everyday lives, what difference would it make in how we approach life? I think we would live with a lot less anxiety about the current global climate. I think we would be a great deal less upset about our current leaders, or a lot less dependent on them to solve our every problem. I think we would be a lot less worried about whether we would have a job, or good health, or a happy family when the sun comes up tomorrow. In fact, we would not lose any sleep at all about the sun coming up tomorrow or not.

Now I’m not claiming that we should adopt a do-nothing, careless approach to life. Of course not—that would make us unworthy servants (see Matthew 25:24-30) of a Master who expects us to do our best with what we have been given (Colossians 3:23-24). But remembering that God rules over all, big and small; that God controls all, big and small; that God uses all the events of this world, big and small, to bring about his perfect plan, helps me to live out my life in a much more purposeful, peaceful and productive way.

God rules—live with it!

“There is a God in heaven who over-rules all things for the best; and this is the comfort of my soul.”
—David Brainerd

Read Psalm 75:1-10

God Rules—Live With It!

No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man.
But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.
(Psalm 75:6-7)

What a great reminder! It is neither the Democratic or the Republican National Committees that get their candidates elected; it is not how well organized the parties are at the grassroots level; it is not the hundreds of millions of dollars that we now spend to “buy” elections—although those factors certainly play into the outcome. But at the end of the day, it is what God permits that determines who will rise and who will fall.

The truth is, we see only a little slice of history. From our perspective, the country was desperately needing change, or we were in a war and we needed a wartime leader in the Oval office, or whatever other scenario we used to describe our current context. But God lives outside of time and above circumstances, and he is moving human history to a foreordained conclusion. Daniel 2:20-21 reminds us,

Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

If we could truly absorb that truth and embrace it as a guiding principle for our everyday lives, what difference would it make in how we approach life? I think we would live with a lot less anxiety about the current global climate. I think we would be a great deal less upset about our current leaders, or a lot less dependent on them to solve our every problem. I think we would be a lot less worried about whether we would have a job, or good health, or a happy family when the sun comes up tomorrow. In fact, we would not lose any sleep at all about the sun coming up tomorrow or not.

Now I’m not claiming that we should adopt a do-nothing, careless approach to life. Of course not—that would make us unworthy servants (see Matthew 25:24-30) of a Master who expects us to do our best with what we have been given (Colossians 3:23-24). But remembering that God rules over all, big and small, that God controls all, big and small; that God uses all the events of this world, big and small, to bring about his perfect plan, helps me to live out my life in a much more purposeful, peaceful and productive way.

God rules—live with it!

“There is a God in heaven who over-rules all things for the best;
and this is the comfort of my soul.”
—David Brainerd