This is the topic of today's blog.
I believe, when it comes to control, we only have control over one thing. Our will. We do not have control over the smallest things, even whether we move our fingers. Our will might be to move our fingers, but at any moment, God can take away motor capability and the best doctors in the world wouldn't bat an eyelash. They have seen it before. Yes, we just have control over our will to move our fingers.
I might have a will to publish this article, but at any moment, God could make my computer crash or the internet connection drop or introduce a family distraction, in which case I would not publish this. My will would be to share my thoughts but I have no control over even whether this article gets published! And in the case, it did not, I wouldn't even bat an eyelash either, as I would attribute the lack of time to some other set of events.
What about sin? Do we really have control to avoid sin?
Ephesians 2:9 reads "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."
First, of all, any victories we have we must attribute to God, because it is only through His protection that we might avoid sin. For this reason, we cannot judge others either. If that is the case, where should our pride be?
Jeremiah 9:23-24 reads "This is what the Lord says: 'Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord."
For how can you boast that you have not stolen, when it is God who gives you what you need so that you do not have to steal?
Proverbs 30:8-9 reads "Keep falsehood and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."
It is the arrogant that point to other's sins and cast shame and condemnation. Such is arrogance because no one can truly know the extent of another's depravity. And arrogance because the extent to which God's grace has prevented them from such consequences of life is not acknowledged. Rather than point the finger, praise God that he has prevented you from such calamity.
Romans 8:1-2 reads "Therefore, there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."
Once you start to realize how little control you have over your life, you can start to actually make change occur in your life. You cannot control your desires. These are God given. Your goal should be to figure out why God built you with these desires. What God wants to bless you with through these desires. And how Satan wants to curse you by twisting these desires.
Revelations 3:17 reads "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
True change and reconciliation comes from healing the wounds of this broken world. What happens if you do not realize that you are broken?
Jeremiah 6:14 reads, "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace' they say, when there is no peace."
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' In reply Jesus said, 'A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was, and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then, he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denari and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
'Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?' The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.' Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise.'
One of the amazing things here is that Jesus directly addresses how to follow two simple guidelines in our life. Love God and love others. But more subtle, he addresses the arrogance of man.
He states that we are all broken and wounded and need a savior. We are the ones left beaten and battered by a broken world. Only after we acknowledge our wounds, allow Jesus to heal us, can we then use his righteousness! As the broken man uses the donkey which represents carrying burdens and the denari which represents provisions and the innkeeper which represents restoration, so too, we can lean on Jesus. Most importantly, we may wear the cloak of Jesus to cover our sins.
So what do we really have control over? We have control over whether we allow Jesus to heal us. We have control over whether we admit we are broken. We have control over whether we acknowledge our dependency or whether we ignore and say there is peace when there is no peace. It is our will we have control over.
We may think that we are righteous but any moment God could reveal to us the true nature of our sinful beings, simply by placing us in a situation where we fall into temptation. There are situations each of us cannot handle. And God doesn't say He will give us one hundred outs as we fall into sin. No, along each path to sin, He gives us one moment of choice.
1 Corinthians 10:13 reads "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
There is one moment, one single moment of consciousness when you have a choice. You are convicted that you should do one thing. However, it may be long before the actual sin occurs. You may be convicted that you should stay home or that you should not open a door. This is your way out!
Revelations 3:20-21 reads "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Revelations 2:17 reads "Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it."
When it comes to choice, we have two paths to take. We cannot control our actions or the future, but in that moment of choice, we can surrender our will. We have free will. In the story of the prodigal son, the son had the choice to leave home or stay. He had no control over the consequences and pain and temptations that overcame him due to separation. Finally, after much suffering, he was faced with another choice. To return home or stay. Again, he had no control over how his father would react to his return. The prodigal son control in those two instances. Those two moments determined the path of his life.
Many will state that regulations that govern a man's life are two restrictive. This simply isn't the case. For in every choice, there are two paths. No matter, the choice, both paths are restrictive in the sense that what can be achieved on one path, simply cannot be achieve on the other. On one path Satan dangles the rewards in plain sight. On the other path, God has placed hidden manna.
Proverbs 14:12 cautions, "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death."
