Only a ‘need to know’ policy…

 

A servant in a palace knows that all things in that place belong to its owner. None of it belongs to the servant who is charged to take care of it. In the household of God, I am a servant. He owns all things, some of which I’m given to use or take care of. This dominion or ownership of God means I need to yield all things to Him.

Charnock extends this to say that because I am under His authority, if something happens that causes me concern, I need to not pressure Him with why is this happening. Instead, I must humbly lay my cause at his feet, and say: “It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.” (1 Samuel 3:18) After all, all is His.

That includes His to-do list. I don’t get to see it, only my part in it. That means He seldom shows me why my prayers can mean a long wait for His action. I can get impatient, as if the Monarch of the world should jump to it for me? This is getting it backwards, as if the King of kings should lay down His scepter to gratify my demands. This displays my pride, vanity, and totally selfish thinking.

The dominion of God would stop my vain curiosity too. One example was when Peter wanted  to know the fate of John. Jesus said to him: “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22)

This means that I am to consider my duty, and lay aside my curiosity since it is God’s decision to not reveal many things to me. As Charnock says, the sense of God’s absolute dominion would silence many vain disputes in the world. What if God will not reveal this or that? He does not tell me all His mind, only that what I need to do what He wants from me. Yielding to His sovereignty means letting Him be God and make all decisions known or remain a mystery. I’m not to spend time and energy prying into or speculating about matters that are unknown to me by His choice. I’m to just trust Him.

This kind of yielding is about faith and about how pitiful I am compared with God's excellency and the great distance between Him and me. The more I think of His greatness, the less I’m concerned with myself, and the more apt I am to fall before Him in praise instead of impatience, vain curiosity, or selfish demands:

He is to be praised for his royalty Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! (Psalm 47:6–7)

His goodness calls for my thankfulness, but his sovereignty calls for a higher elevation of it. Goodness is felt and appreciated on this end, while sovereignty calls for glory to God, regardless of how I feel or am blessed. Why should such a great God care about me anyway? Or offer me blessings? Or answer my prayers?

But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. (1 Chronicles 29:14)

PRAY: These thoughts impact my prayers to You. Yesterday, more surgery for our granddaughter and a heavy heart. I could scarcely think of her situation without fear and tears. Yet Your whispers came through. You are God. You are good. You do what brings You glory as You alone deserve it. Putting my focus on Your greatness and Your dominion over all things, even an infected and serious injury, changed my thinking. You will do what is right. My anxiety was focused on the lie that You do not want the best for Your people. If You decide to take her home, that is because of Your goodness, not because You don’t love or care for her or for her family. We are the servants but also Your children, and You work on behalf of Your family for our good. For this, I am joyful and now wait to see what You have planned — for Your glory.

Later: the operation eased her pain and brought her much joy. Thank You, Lord!