“Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” – Psalm 46:10

TODAY’S SITUATION OF religious terrorism throughout the world ‘appears’ anything other than God being in control. The news headlines intensify as times of uncertainty unfold before our very eyes; what we would normally deem as a nightmare, with all the political array of chaos and havoc, has now become a reality on our very ‘doorsteps’ and if current events continue their course, we can but only expect worse to come.

What we once held up as freedom in our most advanced and affluent civilisations is now no longer secured by governments who swore to uphold our constitutions; the heinousness past leaders used to fight against, present leaders now strive to implement that violates the highest code of humanity’s ethics and welfare.

The future looks bleak, to say the least, and from a humanistic perspective alone is nothing short of downright pessimism; wrongs are being highlighted through a wide range of media but our leaders in power have no ‘moral-backbone’ to address and rectify what threatens our safety. Gone are the days of men like Churchill, who had he have been diplomatic as our spineless leaders today are, Hitler would have gained victory to carry out his ideology of a ‘perfect’ human race. Diplomatic tactics with the enemy will be the downfall of great nations and just like Rome, history continues to embarrassingly repeat itself.

Naturally, such current affairs are going to stir great unrest and there are two imbalances that we need to beware of, especially as Christians: to remain apathetic, while the other is to be vexed with panic. God’s ways are not discerned by human wisdom and as what may seem, today, to portray a careless and far-removed God, we can be sure His perspective, revealed through His Word, is infinitely higher than ours. Picture the disciples in the boat with Jesus – Who was sound asleep – in the midst of that violent storm. These fishermen were not inexperienced by far, but this one particular night they feared for their lives as the waves engulfed the boat: “Lord, do You not care we’re going to drown?  Was the Lord of creation still in control while ‘sleeping’ or when He said, “Peace!, Be still!” that ceased the winds and brought in a great calm? There are times when God appears indifferent to us, but we must be aware that such perceptions are based on our own limited understanding. Listen to William Cowper:

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His sovereign will.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for his Grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Psalm 37:7 states: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” It sounds ridiculous when such evil succeeds, but “…the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He sees that his day is coming” (verse 13) “For the evil doers shall be cut off…In just a little while, the wicked will be no more…” (verse 9,10)

Psalms 74, 75 and 76 are appropriate passages in times like ours. Listen to Psalm 75:2 “At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity.” Psalm 76:7, 8, 10 “But You, You are to be feared! Who can stand before You when once Your anger is roused? From the heavens You uttered judgement; the earth feared and was still, when God arose to establish judgement, to save all the humble of the earth…[God] Who is to be feared by the kings of the earth.” The Psalmist specifically mentions Kings, not just the common inhabitants but powerful leaders that hold the welfare of people in their hands. Our present political leaders may ‘shake their fist’ at God with all the immoral decisions they make, but on each one they will answer to God for. They may deny the very existence of God, but the day is coming when all flesh – good and bad – shall know the Lord is God; every knee shall bow in absolute humility and every tongue tremble as they confess the Name that is higher and above all others. “They will know that I am the Lord” – Ezekiel 26:6; 28:24; 29:21; 30:19 are just a few examples that all nations come to judgement. History alone proves it; nations have risen and fallen; rulers have been raised high and brought low, “but it is God Who executes judgement, putting down one and lifting up another (Psalm 76:7).

We may not see the hand of God orchestrating all events unto His glory, and what a blow that is in the face of the enemy; that the worst evil can ever possibly accomplish is made subservient to the decrees of God. The God of all creation ‘neither slumbers nor sleeps‘, not a single life that expires – born or unborn – goes unmissed. Before man ever schemes, God knew such thoughts before the foundation of the world; no man or woman is in power but by the will of God alone to serve His purposes for His glory. It is there in the scriptures – the history of mankind; man’s rising, man’s failures, man’s corruption and evil, but God continues to carry out exactly what He has ordained; there is no plan B with God, because He never fails. Despite the world’s dark atrocities, all the chaos and all the horror, the promise of God still stands, and He calls us to stand still and know that He is the God of yesterday, the God of today and the God of tomorrow, that He will be exalted among the nations and that He will be exalted in the earth!

We cease from fretting as we perceive Who God is.