Enthroned

"The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;

the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

The LORD gives strength to his people;

the LORD blesses his people with peace."

Psalm 29:10-11

The tune is catchy.  Kids love the fun characters.  The theology behind the words is solid.  You can't get any better than this.  And, whenever I'm scared, I can sing this song to myself and feel better.  

"God is Bigger than the Boogy Man" may be a silly song created for kids, but it delivers a truth we all need to know and embrace:  Nothing knocks God off His throne!

 Disaster.  I see it on the news almost every night.  Sometimes it enters into my own life.  Floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, fires, crashes, accidents.  The aftermath leaves victims reeling, their world being turned upside down as they search for solid ground on which to stand.  

While I am knocked off-balance by such a turn of events, God is not surprised, shocked or startled.  He knows what to expect and He is already there in the midst of the panic, ready to help me when I call out to Him (Isaiah 43:2).  Just because the world seems out-of-control doesn't mean God is.

Even when tragedy strikes, God is still on the throne.  The seemingly random nature of this world does not trip up His plan in the least.  He still reigns as supreme no matter what is happening all around me.

God is reigning over the disaster and is ready to deliver His people from calamity.

Idols and gods.  I let it consume me.  It becomes more important than anything else.  I can hardly spend a waking moment without it on my mind.  This seemingly innocuous activity/pursuit/relationship has become a god to me.

It happens all the time and I am always in danger of falling into such a trap.  My God, however, is jealous for my time and attention (Exodus 20:5).  He made me for Himself and desires to be intimately involved in my life.  Placing God at the center is what makes my life meaningful and purposeful.  Nothing makes sense without Him as Lord but there is room for only one lord in my life (Matthew 6:24).

Even when I let my priorities get all out of whack, God is still on the throne.  My lack of insight or ability to see His power and authority does not minimize His dominion one iota.  He is still on the throne no matter what I've replaced Him with in my heart.

God is still sovereign and is waiting to be acknowledged as Lord of my life.

Weakness.  I try to be strong.  I press on, working hard to keeping up appearances, but I am exhausted, tired to the core of my being.  How can I carry on?  Where will I go from here?

There is something about the economy of God's kingdom that is backwards from the rest of the world.  In the normal scheme of things, I must be strong in order to survive.  But in God's way of thinking, I am only strong when I am weak because then it is He who is at work (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Sometimes, I just need to get out of the way.  Make that all the time I need to get out of the way.  When I think I got this, or that I don't need any help, I'm hindering what God is trying to accomplish.  He isn't a bully-god who forces His way in.  Instead, He waits to be invited.  He is a gentleman, never interrupting my efforts but gives me a chance to surrender, to give up, to let go of my desire to run my own life.  Then, when I finally see the light and realize my own inability to help myself, I turn to Him.  And He is ready.

Even when I'm running myself ragged trying to orchestrate all the details of my life, God is still on the throne.  My insistence on depending upon my own weak character instead of on God's strong nature does not diminish His strength one bit.  He is still on the throne no matter how capable I think I am.

God is still mighty, ready to give me strength as I hope in Him (Isaiah 40:28-31).

God is bigger than everything He has created and His rule is absolute.  Nothing can knock Him off His throne: Not disaster, my own messed up priorities, or my weakness.  No matter what, God is still over all things and His reign cannot be disrupted.  What a relief to know that the God who loves me perfectly is ever-enthroned on high, above all that I face in this world!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can keep God at the center of my life.

When do I feign strength, thinking I don't need help?

How am I running around trying to handle all the details when God is standing by, waiting to be my strength?