Who’s In Charge Here, Anyways?

The world seems to be a little out of control. Look around us. There’s a song by an old folk singer group called the Kingston Trio. They write a song with lyrics like these:

“They’re rioting in Africa, They’re starving in Spain, There’s hurricanes in Florida and Texas needs rain; The whole world is festering with unhappy souls, The French hate the Germans, The Germans hate the Poles.”

You get the idea. The world is chaotic and out of control. Just turn on the news for a second and figure it out for yourself.

When I look at the world I’m glad I have another one to look forward to, the Kingdom of God. The place where the lion will lie down with the lamb. Where a child can put his hand in a snake’s pit and not get bit. Where Jesus sits on the throne, there will be perfect peace. The more I see the chaos in this world, the more I long for my heavenly home.

There is debate about who’s in charge of this place we call Earth. Calvinists believe God is. Others say Satan is. Let’s go to scripture and see who Jesus said was in charge.

“I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me,” John 14:30. Jesus is telling us that the ruler of the world is coming and it isn’t Him.

“Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” John 12:31. Jesus is telling us that the ruler of this world will be cast out. He’s also saying He’s not the ruler of this world.

“in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience,” Ephesians 2:2. Paul is talking about the Devil being the prince of the power of the air.

There is a contrast, a huge contrast to the world in which we live now and the future world when God is in charge. God is not the author of chaos. And if you have half a wit about you, you can’t look at the world and not see it as chaotic. It doesn’t make sense to see God in charge, when the world operates as it does. For a believer, this is not our home. We long for our heavenly home. A place where moth and rust do not destroy. Throughout scripture, God is giving us pictures of what our heavenly home looks like and what we can look forward to. He tells us, the believer, that earth is not our home.

When I look at the world and know God is not in charge, but Satan is, it gives me comfort. The God I believe in wouldn’t have a world like this. All the angst, sorrow, sin, madness, violence, injustice, doesn’t show a benovelent God in charge. The one in charge would need to be one who stirs people up to sorrow, sin, madness, violence, and injustice. I am thankful to God that He has another home for us. A good place. A heavenly place.

God gets blamed for a lot of garbage that goes on. But this isn’t the world God created. He created a perfect world. But Satan and sin came into the picture and destroyed it. Now the earth groans as well as His People, longing for that perfect place.

Give God credit for the beautiful things He has done. Give Him credit for the beautiful things He has done in your life. Give Satan the credit for this mad, mad, mad world. Let him take the fall for it. It’s his handiwork. Remember, God is not the author of chaos. Take comfort in that and the pictures of our heavenly home, God has given us. Give credit where credit is due. God is not responsible for this mess. Satan is. God provided salvation for all of mankind.