Day 266: The Many Faces of God, Part 3 of 5: God the RulerActs 17:26
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
Thoughts for Today:Many times it's easier for us to accept where we are in life either because of poor choices we've made, or the randomness of events. However, our passage today clearly tells us that neither idea is accurate. Rather, Paul tells us that God is in control and is the Ruler of our lives (whether we want to believe it or not), including the exact details of where, when, and how we live and how we die.
This is a mind-blowing concept for me. God has determined the times and places of our actions. For example: God decided (before the world began) that this morning, I would begin writing devotions in my office at precisely 8:03 am, finishing at 11:57 am so I could play golf at 1:04 pm, but first eat lunch before teeing off. You see what I mean? If you follow through on my reasoning (based on our passage today), God pre-determined the times and the exact places of not just the big things (countries and wars and our biggest life decisions); but even the smallest of details!
My clumsy grasp of this incredible concept has changed my life. It has made me realize just how much the details of what I do matter. "Wait a minute," you might say, "just the opposite should be true. If everything is pre-determined, then nothing I do matters because God already knew or knows what I'm going to do." Ahhh but therein lies the great mystery and adventure of life in Christ. I may intend to play golf at 1:04 pm today, but God might just have a different plan. For me that is really exciting, because each day has become like reading the greatest book of all time. I can't wait to turn the page to see what happens next, to see what new and great adventure God, the author of my life has in store for me.
Questions to Ponder:How do you approach life? Is it with boredom, avoidance and pain, or is it with curiosity and interest born in love and trust of God the Ruler? What does God have in store for you? Are you up to the adventure? Can you find the joy of God's purpose for you in even the most disappointing situations? Will the book of your life be a real "page turner" or put people to sleep?
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
Thoughts for Today:Many times it's easier for us to accept where we are in life either because of poor choices we've made, or the randomness of events. However, our passage today clearly tells us that neither idea is accurate. Rather, Paul tells us that God is in control and is the Ruler of our lives (whether we want to believe it or not), including the exact details of where, when, and how we live and how we die.
This is a mind-blowing concept for me. God has determined the times and places of our actions. For example: God decided (before the world began) that this morning, I would begin writing devotions in my office at precisely 8:03 am, finishing at 11:57 am so I could play golf at 1:04 pm, but first eat lunch before teeing off. You see what I mean? If you follow through on my reasoning (based on our passage today), God pre-determined the times and the exact places of not just the big things (countries and wars and our biggest life decisions); but even the smallest of details!
My clumsy grasp of this incredible concept has changed my life. It has made me realize just how much the details of what I do matter. "Wait a minute," you might say, "just the opposite should be true. If everything is pre-determined, then nothing I do matters because God already knew or knows what I'm going to do." Ahhh but therein lies the great mystery and adventure of life in Christ. I may intend to play golf at 1:04 pm today, but God might just have a different plan. For me that is really exciting, because each day has become like reading the greatest book of all time. I can't wait to turn the page to see what happens next, to see what new and great adventure God, the author of my life has in store for me.
Questions to Ponder:How do you approach life? Is it with boredom, avoidance and pain, or is it with curiosity and interest born in love and trust of God the Ruler? What does God have in store for you? Are you up to the adventure? Can you find the joy of God's purpose for you in even the most disappointing situations? Will the book of your life be a real "page turner" or put people to sleep?
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