What’s happening?

Scriptures: Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)

In the movie, Vantage Point, a United States’ president was assassinated. The story was told through 6 different perspectives, each adding some more clues to the overall picture so that, at the end, the whole plot became clear. Each of these 6 perspectives was presented by a person: starting with that of an anchor woman of a news agency, then that of a secrete service agent, an undercover policeman, a tourist, the president, and the terrorist.

Each of these people came to that place, a town called Salamanca in Spain, for a different reason. Every one of them thought he / she knew exactly what’s going on, only to be surprised by subsequent events. The secrete service agent was surprised by the betrayal of his partner. His expectation of a command center for backup and support was also disappointed. Even the terrorists who planned the whole thing out were surprised by unexpected change in circumstances, such as the appearance of a small girl on the street for their runaway.

The story had a happy ending. Bad guys were killed and the president was saved. The main character once again was the hero. But, who would have thought of all these surprises? The terrorist who’s behind this assassination made a statement in the movie, “The US is arrogant enough to think they are always a step ahead of everyone else.” And it seemed like he was out there to prove this statement.

Well, he’s right. The US is not really always a step ahead of everyone else. Neither was he. That is life for there’s always something unexpected in life. God alone is in charge of all things. To Him, there’s no surprises for He knows all things, just as He said, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” (Isaiah 46:10)

More than this, He also said, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9) No wonder our lives are full of “surprises.” Our challenge is not about the presence of surprises. Our challenge is about how we respond to these surprises.

As much as we believe that God is in control and that God has a plan for us, sometimes we are still inclined to think that, since my plan is good, anything that prevents this good plan from accomplishment is bad. We want to believe that the assurance to our future well-being lies in our ability to control our life and everything in it, just like the examples James gave in today’s passage. But, in doing so, we forget that God alone is in control of all things at all time.

Meantime, while we lose sight of His role in and His sovereignty over our life, we toss and turn and struggle, wondering why God allows such misery to come to us. We forget that our destiny is in God’s hand, and in His hand alone. Our circumstances and enemies have no control over our destiny. They cannot overpower God.

We are in good hands, regardless if we are aware! Let’s not complain, nor should we be in despair, when He says No to our plans for He holds better things for us in life. He is more than a step ahead of everyone else, He knows the end from the beginning. He knows all and, for this, we can rest assured, knowing that all His promises to us have been sealed in Christ, awaiting our claims in faith and obedience!

Prayer Requests:
For those who struggling the pressure to move forward on their own

Prayer:

Dear God, storms of life hit us from every direction and caught us by surprise. Please help us to fix our minds and hearts on our Lord Jesus, and submit ourselves to the leading of the Spirit so we may be blessed through the storms and be used as Your blessings for all. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!