ecently, I’ve been casually reading through Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I say casually because I only have time to read it when I carve out some time for reading. Furthermore, I’m one of those people who begins way too many books. It’s kinda a running joke between Laura and I that start a bunch of books and seldom finish any of them. If I do finish them, it is usually months later. I guess that’s just the way I roll.

Anyway, things here in Alaska are going great! We are learning more about our sovereign God’s work of refining us for life and ministry. It is such a privilege to serve the King of kings and Lord of lords! I pray that as you read this today, that you will recall just how awesome our Lord’s work in our own lives truly is!

In fact, our God’s love is so great, that it is incomprehensible! This basically is the premise behind the book, Crazy Love. As I flip through the pages I am convicted by my all too often amiss motivation behind the things I do in life. It is far too easy to slip into a guilt-driven, action-based mentality, rather than a passionate motivation stemming from an enthrallment with Jesus and God’s indelible grace! Furthermore, it is far too easy to slip from an absolute trust in God’s sovereign, active work in our everyday lives. Think about it for a moment. Life is filled with interesting moments. Sometimes in the consistent pace of the daily grind, we lose sight of what it really comprises life. Likewise, in the more arduous times of life, we lose sight of what really comprises our lives.

I think Chan hits the nail on the head in chapter three when he reflects on Jeremiah 1:6-10 and Ephesians 2:10. These passages are such a great reminder of our God’s sovereign work in all aspects of our lives!

Check them both out! First, Jeremiah 1:5-10,
“5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,?and before you were born I consecrated you;?I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;?for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,?and whatever I command you, you shall speak.?8 Do not be afraid of them,?for I am with you to deliver you,?declares the Lord.”
9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.?10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms,?to pluck up and to break down,?to destroy and to overthrow,?to build and to plant.”

And then second, Ephesians 2:10,
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Chan writes how God reminded him of these truths during a personal retreat time alone in the woods. He writes on page 58, “My next thought, alone in the woods, was that He determined what Jeremiah would do before he was even born. I questioned whether that was also true of me…Then I remembered Ephesians 2:10, which tells us that we were created ‘to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ That verse is meant for me and all others who have been ‘saved by grace through faith.’ My existence was not random, nor was it an accident. God knew who He was creating, and He designed me for a specific work.” Later on page 60 Chan writes, “God will ensure my success in accordance with His plan, not mine.”

How often do we in our daily lives take matters into our own hands? How often do we allow circumstances (expected or unexpected) to cause us to worry and stress? Maybe you are always like a rock in your security in God’s consistent good work in your life. But, if you are like me and honest with yourself, there are likely those times when you revert to a self-centered mentality regarding the circumstances in life. Recall those things that happen in life that cause you to worry and stress. Maybe they’re not even really “big” things. Maybe it’s just one of those busy, ridiculous days at work when nothing seems to go right. In that moment it’s so easy to worry and stress over your circumstances. Then there are also the “bigger” worry/stress triggers in life. Lastly, when life is smoothly going along, we may not worry or stress, but we can still easily lose the heart attitude of resting our sole security in God’s sovereign rulership in our lives.

Where is our security anchored? You may initially respond…of course, it’s rooted in God. But, is it really? I think so often, we kid ourselves. How often is our security wrapped up in our own “grip” in life and in how we are handling our responsibilities and circumstances?

When God showed up in Jeremiah’s life in the outset of the book of Jeremiah, I think Jeremiah was forced to deal with this heart issue. Where did his security rest? When God showed up with His pre-ordained mission that would drastically change Jeremiah’s life and circumstances, his response revealed the common response of many of us. How Lord can I? or… There’s no way! …or You have the wrong person? or… Why me?
The events that would transpire through Jeremiah’s life as he followed God’s leading, would be God’s good, pre-ordained path for his life.
Likewise, Paul alludes to God’s pre-ordained good plans for we the redeemed in Jesus today. We like Jeremiah are called by God to live out His good purposes in life. We are called to have our security firmly rooted in His sovereignty. We are called along with the list in Hebrews 11 to walk by faith.

Well, I guess I’ll end this random blog post by encouraging you to refresh your heart’s perspective regarding it’s security in God. Everything that is unfolding in our lives yesterday, today, and tomorrow is orchestrated by our sovereign God, and we are pre-ordained to walk in union with our Jesus.

In His Grace,
Derek

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