Pastor's Ponderings, April 16, 2018

Be Confident In God

While reading the newspapers, surfing the internet, listening to the radio and watching television, one cannot help but notice that there are many things to worry about such as nuclear war, homelessness, job loss, and air and water pollution. In addition, there is the perceived possibility of being hurt simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Some of us may be worried about things in our personal lives such as a failing marriage, a health scare or a child in crisis.

Although we may be worried about what will happen in our country or in our homes, we must remember that Jesus had a plan for our lives even before we were born. Jesus knew us before we were formed in our mother’s wombs (Jeremiah 1:5) and established all of our days before a single day had passed for us (Psalm 139:16).  We can rejoice knowing that He did a wonderful job in designing us (Psalm 139:14). Not only did He make us, but also He gave us all spiritual blessings in Him. He chose us to be holy and without blame in Him and He adopted us to be His children because it pleased Him (Ephesians 1:3-5).

Knowing this, we can have full confidence in His goodness while we live (Psalm 27:13).  We may not be able to see it in our current circumstances, but we can be confident that He will complete His good work in us (Philippians 1:6).  There is no question that there are crazy, weird, scary, and deadly things around us, but since God is the light of our life, we don’t have to fear anything (Psalm 27:1, 3).  

We do not have to focus on a changing world or hopeless personal circumstances, but we can keep our eyes on an unchanging God. He has the whole world in His hands, so let us keep our confidence in God alone.  

Jeremiah 1:5
New International Version (NIV)

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

Psalm 139:16
New International Version (NIV)

16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:14
New International Version (NIV)

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Ephesians 1:3-5
New International Version (NIV)

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Psalm 27:13
New International Version (NIV)

13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Philippians 1:6
New International Version (NIV)
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Psalm 27:1, 3
New International Version (NIV)

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.