“The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!” (Psalm 97:1).
“And he put all things under [Christ’s] feet and gave him as head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22).
Dear Praying Friends,
Our risen Lord rules over the entire universe, including all the nations, and he does so for the church, which is his body. That means that he governs everything that happens to accomplish his purposes, which include bringing together all things under his headship, sanctifying his people, and building a church that is composed of people from every race and nation and tribe and tongue.
In ways beyond our comprehension, he overrules the decisions of kings and presidents, parliaments and voters, to fulfill his will. Thus, even the terrible wars in Ukraine and Israel, and the election in Taiwan, will ultimately be employed to bring his people into fellowship with himself and with each other, and to conform us to the moral likeness of Christ.
His sovereignty extends, of course, to each individual. Our times are in his hands. Even when loved ones are very old, we sometimes do not expect them to die as early or as quickly as they do, but we have to trust that even this is in God’s good will. Nor do we know how long any one of us will live, or how long we will enjoy the peace and freedoms that we do now.
The Lord’s rule also includes the weather. Severe winter conditions have caused difficulties throughout the country recently. Even these weather conditions are under his command.
“Grace and peace from you . . . from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings on earth” (Revelation 1:4a-5).
Yours in his royal rule,
Wright