Trusting a Sovereign God

Trusting a Sovereign God

            This past Sunday we honoured and celebrated Jesus as the king

of kings and that God is the one who rules in the hearts of those who believe. Reign of Christ Sunday gathers all the ideas of Jesus birth, death and resurrection together and invites us into honour and worship Jesus who is the Promised Son of God who came and continues to be present in our live.

            As Gary Inrig has written in “True North” we should be focusing our entire lives on God who directs our lives. But we must trust in God to show us what to do and how to do it.

            Hebrews 11 gives account of many people who lived lives of faith. They were not exempt from trouble and suffering, but who lived loving God. Yet all were commended for their faith and yet none of them received what had been promised- God had planned something better (Hebrews 11:32-39) Even for Gideon, God planned more but he too needed to live by faith in Him. But what do we learn from this passage?

            People of faith receive God’s approval regardless of present outcomes. People of faith trust God’s purposes. People of faith await God’s reward. And what is this reward? To know and understand and receive the promises of God in Christ. We are forgiven, born into God’s forever family and have the Spirit within us but we are not yet home. One day we will return to God and we will see God. But we must have this heart-deep confidence in God who loves us and gave Jesus His Son.

            Inrig’s book invited us to use navigational tools to reference our God, His Son and theSpirit moving in us to a clearer understanding of faith and being faithful. Today all we need to do is ‘google for maps/ directions’ and find out where we need to drive. But in faith, what we still need is God- guiding us and showing us the way. Generations of explorers traveled to places unknown with only a few tools. They were the ones to draws the maps and yet they trusted that there journey was not in vain.

            Using maps and the Bible we too live a journey filled with many exciting and wonderful opportunities, but we focus on the One who will guide us further than we think it is possible. Let us discover Christ who calls us by faith, to love, love and reach out to others. .

REFLECTION:  By faith we have learned many things about our God and about ourselves. What does this mean to you? How do you understand navigating your way with God as your Morning Star, Christ your compass and truly trusting the Spirit to sail into your life?

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PRAYER

Loving God bless us we pray as we strive to live by faith in this world where knowing you is not easy; searching for you is welcomed, and reaching out in your name is a gift. Enable us to grow in faith for you as we discover our way of living –today and in days ahead. Amen.

This reflection is based upon some ideas offered by Gary Inrig in his book, True North: Discovering God’s Way in a Changing World,  Discovery House Publishers, 2002; ch.12

Watch for a new series beginning next week!