Not in Control Pt 1

There are certain thoughts that are crafted. Designed for a purpose. These crafted thoughts enter a culture and set up house. Fortresses. They are not created for our good, but for our demise. The most well configured look the best; their entire architecture is intended to deflect from their real intention.

I'm starting to realize that one of these structures is the sentiment of 'God is in Control'. Excuse me, but no, He is not. God is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient. God chose the lack of control when He created man. He did not prevent Satan from deceiving Eve.  He did not bypass His Word in order to prevent the Fall.

What God does control is Himself. The Father chose to give His son, and Jesus chose to die.

God is Big Picture. He knows the end, and it is good. He is patient and His lovingkindness endures forever. While He did not prevent the Fall, He was willing to be tortured and to die to break the Curse and redeem us. It was and is for our good. When He created us, He created beings made in His likeness. Our intention was to learn to manage ourselves, as He does.

The Law came to show us that Control does not work. There is no way to force ourselves or others' into perfect behavior or absolute submission. We are like God; our wills are too strong. The only way to achieve relationship with the Most High is to die.

When horrid things happen, when our babies die, our daughters raped, children sold for sex...our first thought is, "Don't worry, God is in Control". But that's not true. The sneaky fear that creeps in...that Satan designed...is, "How could a loving God allow such pain?" And that thought plants seeds.

The idea that God is in Control is comforting, but it totally is devoid of knowledge of His Character. He wants the real deal. He wants relationship. He doesn't want puppets, He wants Sons. He wants us to choose.

I heard an amazing message by Bill Johnson last week. He said we have faith, and then we have enduring faith. If there was no need for faith beyond faith, then we would not have enduring faith. After that, there is the promise; "God will work everything together for good..."

There has been a lot of pain in my life, and I'm surrounded by friends going through gut wrenching agony. I will not insult them by saying, "God is in Control". But I will love on them, pray for them, believe for them. I really do know that when we are in submission to His heart, it really does work together for good. There is joy after mourning. Even unto death...there is joy in resurrection.

A little over two thousand years ago, Jesus hung on a cross. Racked with unimaginable pain, He chose to trust. He was in full possession of Himself, and He gave it away.