God in Control

by Petey Crowder, Senior Pastor
October 16, 2020

I love Mondays. I know that might be a weird thing to say and an even weirder thing to open a letter with, but it’s true. For me, Mondays provide a sense of normalcy and routine that sets the tone for the entire week to come. On those random weeks where we have a Monday holiday, I sometimes feel like I’m off balance for the following days, trying to recapture the structure of the week. If you’ve ever encountered the same experience, you’ve likely learned what I’ve learned the hard way—spending the rest of the week searching for Monday never goes too well; in fact, it often makes the discombobulation last far longer than it should.

I’m acutely aware that we are entering a new chapter in CPC’s wonderful history during what feels like unprecedented turmoil in our country and world. Nothing feels “normal,” and we aren’t assuming we’ll feel the comfort of old routines any time soon. So how can we reorient how we approach this ongoing season of disruption to embrace the possibilities God has for us?

As Christ-followers, we have to begin our recalibration with truths about God, so I want to remind you of a few very important things.

The first is there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). We might feel like things are out of whack and that we need to do everything in our power to regain control. But perhaps we are learning that security by human means is an illusion. What if we saw ourselves not as victims in the midst of an unforeseen storm, but as contenders of God, standing in the gap of an amazing opportunity to bring the hope of Christ to bear on a hurting world?

The second is that God is not surprised by this. He has come before this, He will come after this, and He is with us through every step of the journey (Deuteronomy 31:8). We feel out of control, but God is not. The church should demonstrate an unfathomable faith in the unseen love and power of God, knowing that though this feels like unprecedented chaos to us, it is not unprecedented to history nor to God.

The third is that Jesus is still on the throne. He is on the throne regardless of which political party has the majority, whether schools are virtual or in-person, and regardless of which team the Vikings just lost to (kidding!). Jesus tells His followers that the world may seem out of control, but that they should never lose confidence in Him because He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Friends, let these truths work their way deep into your bones. We worship a God who has this under control. A God of hope and possibility. We shouldn’t try to wrestle control away; instead, let us faithfully obey Him as He calls us to participate in the world as, first and foremost, citizens of the Kingdom of God.

In October and November our worship series will delve into what worship—singing, praying, hearing God’s Word, Communion—means for the life we live outside the walls of the church. If we’re going to faithfully live as if God is in control during this chaotic season, we need practices that remind us He is trustworthy. And as we seek to be Kingdom citizens, these acts should orient us to His vision for our lives and the world.

Let’s not waste our lives searching for Monday. If we spend our time trying to regain normalcy, we might miss the opportunities right in front of us—where God uses ordinary people to do the unprecedented. Let’s remember God’s goodness and faithfulness and trust that God is in control, even when we’re not.