His Domain

"And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth

and under the earth and in the sea.

They sang:

'Blessing and honor and glory and power

belong to the one sitting on the throne

and to the Lamb forever and ever.'"

Revelation 5:13 NLT

The tornado tore through the town, destroying everything in it's path.  One house stood pristine and untouched while right next door devastation reigned.  One family lost everything while the other's possessions all remained.  It's hard to understand such discrimination, especially if I believe it's all a matter of luck, or lack thereof.

If such tragedies simply happened by chance, this world would indeed be a scary place to live.  Even though I don't know what today will bring, I do have the assurance of knowing the Author of my days and the Maker of all things is securely at the helm.  I live in His domain and despite the fact that evil runs rampant, the Lord is never out of control or at a loss or astonished by an event.  All things are under His sovereign hand.

One day, at the appointed time, every created being will give the Father and His Son their proper praise.  There is no one or thing that will be able to refuse to acknowledge His majesty and dominion.  This knowledge can give me a sense of security as I remember that all things are under His power.

Heaven

Thousands stand ready to answer the call.  When their commander gives the word, these warriors, guardians, defenders and messengers report for duty, fulfilling their purpose as ministering spirits to those who belong to Jesus. (Hebrews 1:14)  They accompany me on my daily duties, defend me against the attacks of the Evil One, and protect me from mishap.  (Psalm 91:9-12)  In addition, there were over 72,000 heavenly soldiers waiting for the word from God to rescue Jesus from the hands of sinful men.  (Matthew 26:53)  There is no doubt to the importance of the role of angels.

Despite their great influence, though, no angel can do their job outside of God's command.  He is the One who dispatches the troops and gives the orders.  In the same way that Jesus chose to go through the horrors of the cross in order to fulfill His Father's mission of reconciliation, so I can expect help only when God ordains it.  

Thankfully, I can take heart knowing that the Lord is a God of compassion whose plan for me is for good, not evil. (2 Corinthians 1:3, Jeremiah 29:11)  Therefore, I need not fear whatever comes my way but can walk forward boldly with the assurance that He has me covered.  

Only those angels who fell from grace, pledging their allegiance to Lucifer, the archangel who was cast from heaven due to his desire for God's position, do their own thing. (Isaiah 14:12-13)  They, however, do not escape without punishment.  God has a plan for those ministering spirits who defied His purposes and currently work against His people.  (2 Peter 2:4)  No one escapes the judgement of God!

I can live in security knowing that all of heaven is part of God's domain.

Earth

It seemed extreme to say the least.  He lost everything:  His family, his possessions, and his health. I can think of no other man in all of history who suffered more than Job. (Job 1-2)  I could understand if he felt like he suddenly had a big target on his chest that directed the arrows of pain and affliction to himself.  If any man deserved to ask, "Why me?"  it was Job.

Of all the lessons I can learn from the life of Job, the one that really sticks is the idea of God's sovereignty.  Nothing that happens is outside of His will and all things must go through His hands for approval.   Applying this truth to my life, I can take great comfort in realizing that my current pain will bring about good.  (Romans 8:28)  The bitter pill of difficulty is a bit easier to swallow when I know it will turn into some kind of blessing in the hands of God.  

Not just the circumstances of life are under His control, however.  Even the physical realm is His.  While the earth belongs to the Lord, I am called to take care of it as a steward or trustee.  (Psalm 50:10-11, Genesis 2:15, Proverbs 12:10a)  Therefore, I must think of everything I can see as my Father's possession.  I am simply placed here to make sure it's used wisely.  When I am tempted to waste His resources, remembering it's His domain will help me to conserve, treating all things as valuable.  In this throw-away society, it will take some effort to change my habits and to train my mind to hold onto things with an open hand.

Instead of jumping on the environmental bandwagon, though, I must be careful to honor the earth as God's, always remembering His people are His most precious of possessions. (Matthew 10:31, Isaiah 43:4)

I can live in security knowing that all of the earth is part of God's domain.

Under the Earth

The darkness was wholly consuming.  I felt it pressing down upon my skin as if it were tangibly present.  When the tour guide turned the light back on in the cave, a sense of relief flooded my being.  I had never before experienced such complete blackness!

That place devoid of any light made me think of the darkness of the Evil One and His mission to dethrone the Lord.  As dark as is his purpose, even he and his minions are a part of God's domain and they know their power is limited by His authorization.

This is why I can boldly walk through the valley of the shadow of death and dine in the presence of evil.  It is because my Shepherd is with me and He is never out of control.  When I stand by His side, I can trust Him to protect me from evil.  (Psalm 23:4-5)  Just knowing someone is with me brings a certain amount of comfort, possibly because misery loves company.  But realizing that the One who holds all power in His mighty right hand is with me makes all the difference in the world.

With Him by my side I can walk through fire and not be burned, go through the flood and not be overcome, or simply pass through the gauntlet of negative thoughts that can many times overwhelm, and come out on the other side whole and of sound mind. (Isaiah 43:1-3)

I can live in security knowing that even under the earth is part of God's domain.

Things may seem out of control and I am sometimes tempted to think God has lost His jurisdiction   During those times of fear, I can take heart with the truth that all of heaven, earth and even under the earth is part of God's domain.  For this reason, I can live in security with my feet planted firmly on solid ground.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God with all things.

When do I fall easily into fear?

What tends to plunge me into despair because I forget it had to go through God's hands before it would be allowed into my life?