God is ruling over the macro as well as the micro

March 18, 2025

Maria Fear, God's Sovereignty, Isaiah 46, Psalm 56, Revelation 19 , , , , 1 Comment

Yes, I have spoken; so I will also bring it about. I have planned it; I will also do it. Isaiah 46:11 Christian Standard Bible 

He will certainly accomplish what he has decreed for me, and he has many more things like these in mind. Job 23:14 Christian Standard Bible

I read these two verses separately during this morning’s time with the Lord. Looking over them as I was about to pray, I suddenly saw that if I put them together, they offered instant relief.  Truly, I have nothing to worry about.

Our Father speaks broadly in this first announcement through Isaiah. His declaration pertains to all times and every situation. That reassures me during this turmoil in our country as we and the world get tossed and turned by President Trump’s actions and words. No matter what happens, God has all this in hand. That fact also came out in my BSF study of Revelation this morning:

Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Revelation 19:6 NIV

I drew comfort from this corroboration of what the prophet Isaiah heard from God, as written at the beginning of this devotional.

Not only that, we read in Job that He has an abundant number of such decrees in store for you and me.  Not just a few.  Just knowing that ‘many’ plans await me fills me with happy anticipation. More adventures, for sure. 

So, between God’s sovereignty over world events at the macro level and His individual control over my life, I rest secure. 

I declare in faith: When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.  Psalm 56:3-4 ESV

What do you expect? And are you content?

January 24, 2021

Maria Contentment, Envy, Hebrews 13, Matthew 20 , , , , , , 1 Comment

This week I write about one sanctification issue that God patiently brings up time and time again: contentment. The other topic has to do with expectations.

 Friends, we do NOT serve a boring Master! I’m finding that Jesus likes to change things up for me, keeping me ‘on the hot griddle’ as my mom used to say. She employed that as dating advice when I was a teen.  She was trying to teach me that men did not like the predictable. I don’t know if that is true about men, but it turned out to be absolutely the case when I taught middle-schoolers and older teens.  The brain craves novelty!

As it turns out, Jesus is the most novel teacher I have ever had!

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 ESV

This morning I saw a way into contentment by asking: ‘What do ‘I have’ already?’  Well, I have Christ!  And He will never abandon me.  So, maybe a way to ‘do’ contentment is to desire what I already have, namely the living, indwelling Spirit of Jesus.

Don’t you and I desire what we don’t have? Billions of advertising dollars work to create and fuel longing for something better, newer, different.  Companies invest in creating DIS-content.

But I don’t think I can FEEL content, unless I stoke my gladness over what I have. It’s like appreciating one’s spouse and recounting to him all the precious memories of joy and tender moments you have shared.

Maybe at least on Sundays, we can offer to Jesus our version of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem: ‘How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways…’ And stoke our contentment.

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I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Matthew 20:14 ESV

Jesus used this scenario to illustrate the ‘last are first’ principle in the Kingdom of God. I wrote in my journal this morning: ‘The early hires got what they expected, but didn’t like it.  The late hires got what they didn’t expect and loved it.

Today is Inauguration Day for President Joe Biden. Four years ago, I watched Donald Trump’s inauguration while eating lunch in my French classroom in North Carolina. Just as the vineyard owner shocked his last-to-be-hired workers, so too God surprised me. Never would I have imagined on that day, January 20, 2017, that four years later I would be retired and watching Joe Biden’s inauguration from here in Alabama.

Maybe God has surprised you, too!  I think the lesson for us is this: Let go of expectations and trust our good, generous and creative Father who doesn’t do things the ‘human’ way.