Everything for Good
“Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens; who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” Isaiah 40:26
Isaiah 40 is one of the most fearsome yet beautiful pictures of God. It’s a great place to hang out when I need to be both humbled and lifted up.
It’s also a great place to remember that God deserves our trust.
The verses leading up to Is. 40:26 set up a fragile picture of humanity (prefacing the almighty picture of God).
(Is. 40:15) “Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; He weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.”
(Is. 40:22) “He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.”
I don’t believe these metaphors of dust and bugs are measures of our insignificance. Rather, they are a limited language’s attempt to show the significance of God in comparison to His beloved creation. It’s a reminder that me, my people, and my worries are more than taken care of.
Recently I’ve been reflecting on the cost of distrust.
“Do not fret - it only causes harm.” (Psalm 37:8b)
What is lack of trust doing to my prayer life? My relationships? My mental health?
I waste a lot of time simply not trusting God. I use a lot of energy rehearsing ways to keep my grasp, get a grip, and salvage some sort of control over my circumstances. What if I channeled all of this fretful energy into expanding my idea of God and His power? What if my worries began to look like mere dust?
Too often my frets start to feel like a carousel. Before one worry is out of sight, another takes its place. And it’s not too long before that same worry is back around again. It’s a captivating sight, capable of occupying my mind for hours on end. But it leads absolutely nowhere. It literally goes in circles.
Shut it down. Flip the switch and look up. The stars are shining brighter, the ever-expanding universe is spinning faster, and the One who spoke it into existence has never let His hand off the wheel. Look back at the carousel and decide - Will I continue to fuel these paint-chipped, playful worries with what-ifs and fretful wondering? Or will I take in the starry host above that He created, knows by name, and sustains by His power?
Every ounce of mind power you put toward your view of God and trust in Him is accomplishing far more than you can imagine. Stop being consumed by the carousel.
Lord, you are all-knowing and all-powerful. You have always been in control. You orchestrate everything for the good of those who love you. Forgive me for clinging to control. Lift my head to see the reality of your power and love. Amen.
