During my devotional time yesterday morning, I read James 4:13-15, which says, “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow… For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”
In my notebook, I wrote the following words: “Live in the recognition of God’s sovereignty.”
About an hour and a half later, I was in the car with my husband and children on our way to vote in a local primary runoff election. We were in a hurry to get the task done and get back home – my husband had work to do and I had several things to accomplish before the girls and I headed out on a field trip.
It should have been easy. However, on this rural road headed almost nowhere, there was road work…at 7:45 A.M….and we had to sit for several minutes before we were allowed to proceed, knowing that we’d encounter a similar wait on the way back.
Almost immediately after the frustration hit, so did the memory of what I had written down so recently. I wish I could say that I immediately took the lesson to heart, realizing that even the small things were in God’s control, so I could just sit back and rest in His goodness. Unfortunately, my mind continued to race and plan what I might could get done in the shorter amount of time I would have left when we returned.
Later in the day, my daughters and I were within a couple of seconds of being broadsided by a car. The female driver had either fallen asleep or passed out and her large SUV came coasting through the intersection as we made our turn. She ended up hitting another car, though thankfully no one was seriously injured.
These incidents brought the truth of this passage even more clearly into view. So much of life is out of my control. I like to think that I can control this, that, and the other, but as James so well reminded me, it’s all in the Lord’s hands. As each morning unfolds, may I remember to live in that reality and trust Him to take care of me in this day and in all my tomorrows.
Amen and Amen! I'm so glad that you were not hit and that everything was okay.
Oh, wow! Thank goodness no one was seriously hurt, but yes – a very strong reminder He is in control!
I'm so glad that you weren't hurt in a wreck, and that no one else was seriously hurt. We need these type of reminders that we aren't in control, that God is.