In His hands . . .

Exodus 9; Job 27; Luke 12; 1 Corinthians 13

We plan to do a little traveling soon. Is the latest virus threat something to worry about? I’m not saying this spreading flu is God’s judgment on the earth, nor am I saying that those who get it are particularly targeted. However, after reading Exodus 9, I am saying that God can inflict or protect according to His will.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, behold, the hand of the Lord will fall with a very severe plague upon your livestock that are in the field, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that belongs to the people of Israel shall die.” ’ ” (Exodus 9:1–4)

Lord, my life is in Your hands.

The rest of the chapter tells of two more plagues. One is dust that causes boils. The other is hail that is so violent that all people and animals outside of shelter will die. The Lord said:

“Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.” Then whoever feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the Lord left his slaves and his livestock in the field . . . . And the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, was there no hail. (Exodus 9:19–26)

Lord, this is a warning: Don’t play in traffic. While God is in charge of all the earth and can protect His people from danger, I am to listen to Him and be responsible. Take care of things like getting enough sleep, washing my hands and staying away from places of danger. The devil would have me ‘jump off a cliff’ to show that God protects me, but that is not God’s idea.

Jesus backs up trusting the Lord, even to realizing that He controls the details of my life. In Luke 12 He says:

“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows . . .  And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? (Luke 12:4–7; 22-26)

Lord, my life is in Your hands.

Instead of thinking and worrying about myself, God wants me to care about others, wanting His best for them. His best is patience, kindness, without envy or boasting, arrogance or rudeness. This love is not easily provoked or resentful, nor does He clap when others sin. Instead, He rejoices with truth, puts up with us, trusts that His will is done, and endures without end. All the things I know or can do are not as important as having God’s attitude toward other people. Instead of being anxious about me, myself, and I, God asks me to live for Him in such a way that others see what He is like by the way I care about them.

Apply: Do not let fear, selfishness, or the media distract me from trusting God with my life. Instead, pour out His love trusting Him to take care of everything else whatever way He sees fit.