“My times are in your hand . . .”

Every time I read the newspaper or open the news app on my computer, I am dismayed at so many horrible reports. Not only are people killing people, accidents and mishaps also take lives. Many people are afraid to go places because of so many threats in the world.

In the Old Testament, David’s safety concern centered on enemies who persecuted him. He asked God, “You are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. (Psalm 31:1; 3-4) Later, he wrote God’s answer to his prayer:

“Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” (Psalm 37:1–6)

God comforted David by telling him his enemies would not live forever; their days were numbered. This is sometimes a comfort for me too. Wicked people are no different than anyone else. They cannot harm others forever.

The psalm goes on in that theme, but also reminds readers that God will bless His people even while their enemies are alive. He says . . .

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance. But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives; for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off. The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” (Psalm 37:7–25)

Our struggles with the ‘right now’ and our inability to see the eternal outcome often includes comparisons. We feel we have ‘so little’ compared to the ‘abundance’ of wicked people, or are ill rather than healthy, sad rather than happy, but God repeatedly promises to take care of His people. Our times are in His hand.

As Fortner says, all the ups and downs of life, including health and sickness, prosperity and adversity, wealth and poverty, happiness and sorrow — are in the hands of our Lord and Redeemer. He appoints the length of our days and the darkness of our nights according to will. He is wise. Our times of refreshing are also in His hands.

We face the simple perils of aging and God comforts me with the fact that “my life will not close until the hand of my Father’s love closes it. I shall not die before my time and I shall not be forgotten and left on the stage of time too long.”

^^^^^^^

Oh Lord Jesus, how I thank You that not only are my times are in Your hands, so is everything else. All that happens in my life (and in this world) are in Your hands. I can cast all anxieties on You, because You care for me. (1 Peter 5:7) You keep me in perfect peace when my mind leans on You. I can trust in You forever, for You, the Lord God, are an everlasting rock. (Isaiah 26:3–4)

Confession takes priority

One acronym to aid prayer is CAST. The letters stand for confession, adoration, supplication and thanksgiving. Some will mix them and use ACTS, but it seems logical to put confession first because the Holy Spirit and the Word of God continually point out sin that need to be forgiven and cleansed.

Keeping short accounts with God is vital. The Bible tells the importance of acknowledging sin before Him, but also the relationship between confessing sin and prayer . . .

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:5–10)

If I were God and my child came before me with a list of requests, but didn’t mention that he was rebelling against me and doing things I had forbidden, would I grant the child’s requests without first dealing with the problem in our relationship? I don’t think so. Even as a sinner (I’m like that child), praying that way seems wrong, presumptuous, even brazen.

The psalmist understood this also. He said, “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” (Psalm 66:18)

While needing to obey God applies my spiritual life and relationship with God, it also applies to marriage. Wives are told to honor and respect their husbands, yet husbands are given a strong reason to have the same attitude toward their wives . . .

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7)

If any wives are offended by the term “weaker” vessel, it seems to refer to physical strength. That means hubby needs to move the furniture and not expect his wife should take care of things that she is not physically able to do. I’ve often said that I don’t mind being the weaker vessel as I watch my husband lift heavy boxes and open stuck jar tops.

The more significant truth in this verse is that disobedience to God’s commands interferes with our prayer life. God is more concerned that my heart is right before Him than giving me what I ask for. He says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) and Jesus repeated it by telling the disciples, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)

The only way to have a heart that does not condemn me is to confess sin as it happens and as I become aware of it. Like 1 John 1:9 says, God is faithful and just to not only forgive my sin, but to cleanse me from unrighteousness. Having a clean heart is a vital part of a strong prayer life . . .

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. (1 John 3:21–22)

I cannot pray very well with a heart that condemns me before I even start. That is why I like CAST, but I also like it because 1 Peter 5:7 tells me to “CAST all my anxieties on Him, because He cares for me.” My main anxiety is that my relationship with God is kept open, transparent, and total honest. For that, confession takes priority.

Solutions for wanting to quit

This process of downsizing is hard work, physically and emotionally. However, just when I’m tempted to grumble about it, God reminds me of the much larger task He gave Moses and the reaction Moses had when the load became too much for him. 
 

God told Moses to lead His people out of bondage in Egypt. At first, Moses was not excited about taking on the job. However, with the help of his brother, he went forward, eventually accomplishing what God asked him to do. Then, as the large company of Israelites traveled toward the land God promised them, they grumbled and wanted more than Moses could deliver. When this happened, Moses was ready to throw in the towel.

Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers? … I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. (Numbers 11:10-12, 14)

I remember more occasions when I felt like quitting. Some involved being let down by others for whom I was responsible. Or I had more work to do than hours in the day. Or I was constantly interrupted or thwarted to the point that I felt I would never catch up. Or there seemed no end in sight, no accomplishments either. Whatever the reasons, quitting became appealing because I feel incapable of continuing.

Today’s devotional reminds me that whenever God puts someone in any position of responsibility, He will both fit him for it and maintain him in it. I have the most incredible resource. Am I relying on Him? I need to ask myself some questions. 

Is this burden from Jesus in the first place? He said that those bearing a heavy burden need to come to learn of Him, for He does not impose burdens that are too heavy.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28–30)

When I am over-loaded, I must first check where that load originated. Did I rush unsent into it? Or did God send me and then I proceed to do it without relying on Him? Is there a change in His command? Have I added to the load by worry or grumbling about it? 

If the Lord’s burdens are light and mine have become heavy, unless I examine what I am doing and why, I am in danger of a thorough breakdown. If God called me to it, He promised the needed grace. This is true in every case. That means I can never fail as long as I cling to the living God. I will not run dry if I am drawing from Him. He said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” (John 7:38) 

God’s solutions for over-worked servants are varied. Sometimes He removes the burden and takes it Himself. “Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you” 1 Peter 5:7. 

 Sometimes He lightens the load as Jesus said. He can do this in several ways. He might increase my strength. “They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength…” Isaiah 40:31, or in Moses’ case, He divided the load.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone” (Numbers 11:16–17).

This is also a major solution for burdens in the Body of Jesus Christ. The New Testament says that none of us are to do God’s work as lone rangers. We must work together and help each other. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” 

That means when the work becomes too difficult, I can and should call for backup, either in prayer or in extra muscle, or even both. But first, I need to talk to the Lord. He might come up with some other solution that I never even thought of!

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God, today I feel tired. The dust from boxes and paper is bothering my allergies. Grumbling is a threat. Lord, You are my Savior. Save me from the sin of complaining, and the temptation to quit. Show me Your solution to the burdens of this day. Thank You that You care and stand ready to offer help.