Jesus is Lord Of It All

Jesus is Lord of it all. He is Lord over times of triumph as well as times of defeat. He is Master over health as well as sickness. He is Sovereign Ruler over times of drought as well as when the floods come. He is Lord over days filled with laughter as well as nights filled with weeping.

I love Romans 12:12. "Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer." Another way to put that could be, "Be exceedingly glad in confident expectation; be long suffering in adversity and trials; be enduring, constant, and steadfast in your petitions and intercessions." We all could use more of that.

While we are not in control of our days and what happens, Jesus is still in control. Last night torrential rains hit our community again. We shattered the all time record for rainfall in the month of May from 13 inches over thirty years ago to 16 inches to date.More rain is forecasted for tonight.

It rained so hard last night I reduced my driving speed to 40 mph. Streets in my neighborhood were like a creek last night. Only two weeks ago Lake Bridgeport was 24' low. Now the lake is past capacity.

I recall very clearly the drought of the past several years. We pleaded with God for rain. Now there are people pleading with God to stop the rain. Houses have been flooded. Some houses have been swept away in currents destroying them. Many have lost their lives in this monsoon season. In my own neighborhood there has been a tornado that went right through my back yard. I praise God not a vehicle was scratched no my house damaged. Even if things had turned out differently Jesus would still be Lord of it all. Only He can stand over tragedy and triumph and pain and parties ruling it all. He is greater than all. Neither the laughter or the tears alter the fact that He is faithful, trustworthy, and dependable. [I Thess 5:24] He is never caught by surprise or been in a situation beyond His control. This is tough to believe especially during times of tragedy or catastrophe.

Jesus is Lord over rainy seasons and desert like drought conditions. He is Lord when the bank account is full and when there are more bills than money at the end of the month. He is Lord when the children are compliant and when they revel. He is Lord over the cribs in the maternity ward at the hospital as well as the caskets at the funeral home.

No mater what we are facing we need to be reminded Jesus is Lord, Master, and Ruler over it all. I rejoice in the hope that though times do not last forever, even though there are times when it seems like they do and will never end. I rejoice that we have all enjoyed good seasons, peaceful seasons, tranquil seasons that we took for granted. The trials can make us appreciate those peaceful seasons and life's little blessings all the more.

I have lived long enough to know afflictions do not last forever. I think back on the three months after my mother had a massive heart attack and suffered brain damage. I remember anxious prayer filled days and nights in the ICU waiting room. When she recovered enough to be in a regular room none of us knew then she would never get out of the hospital or skilled nursing center again. There were many painful hospital visits. Momma did not always make sense when I tried to talk to her. The brain damage changed her. Her body wore out in the end. Sooner than any of us anticipated she died back in 1998. For her the afflictions ended. She gave up her sick and diseased body and left the afflictions of planet earth for the joy of eternity with Jesus. In time we learned to cope with grief and the new reality of life without Momma.

I remember seasons of ministry that were so hopeless I literally had no words left to pray but only tears fell. It seemed they would never end. Day by day, hour by hour, God helped me through. On those Sundays  depression engulfed me God strengthened me to preach one more time. Many times I preached to myself. God gave strength to plod through another day, another trial and at times through another Sunday and another sermon. I look back now at those trials now all in the past. They ended. God brought me through. He will do the same for you.

So we keep persevering in prayer. We keep taking hopeless and impossible situations to God asking for His help. We keep seeking His counsel in times of confusion. We keep asking Him to move larger than life mountains for us. We believe those afflictions will one day come to an end.

In ALL OF THIS Jesus is Lord of it all. I don't like the trials and adversity but I can sure see how He has used them in my life and the lives of other of His followers. Press on. Press on weary soldiers of the cross. Press on and trust on.