In The Horse and His Boy, one volume in C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, the boy and a girl are riding their horses when the lion, Aslan (who represents Christ), attacks. The girl is severely injured. Later, the boy asks Aslan why she was more injured than he. The lion says, “That is her story.”
A similar question comes up in the New Testament. Jesus told Peter, “When you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
The next verse says, “Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.”
Peter, who was always impetuous, noticed John nearby so asked, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus answered (and I paraphrase), “Never mind about him; you follow me.”
My prayers and thoughts are often on others, particularly family members who are not following Christ. Sometimes I get quite anxious about them, wondering if they will ever believe, and what will happen to them. This morning’s reading from Revelation 13 reminds me again, “Never mind about them; you follow me.”
The passage is a description of the spectacular battle for minds and hearts as the world comes into judgment. Verse 10 says, “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.”
The first part tells me that what will happen to people will happen. A person’s destiny is in the hands of God. While I can pray for them, and God does hear and answer those prayers, He alone knows their future.
The second part tells me the same thing Aslan told the boy and Jesus told Peter. While I’m not to neglect prayer, or talking to people about eternal matters, getting caught up in what could happen to them to the point that I’m wanting to manage their lives puts me in the wrong to-do list. That is God’s job.
Mine is to be patient and endure. This is possible only with total trust in a sovereign God who knows what He is doing, regardless of how world events and personal situations appear. I need to keep my mind fixed on Him and His promises, not on my “what if’s.” I’m also to be faithful, to stick to what He is teaching me without wavering, and to stick to Him without doubt.
One side of me is like Peter and that fictional, but real boy. I want to know, but more than that, I want to make sure everyone is taken care of—but that is far too large a load. Only God can be God.
No comments:
Post a Comment