My Times in God's Hand

TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2007

My Times in God's Hand

"But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake." (Psalm 31: 14-16)

"MY Times Are In Your Hand." What precious words of comfort and faith are these!

When we say something is "in God's hand," we say that it is under God's will, power, and control. God is Lord of our circumstances.

It also means that all calamities and disasters are "in his hand." He is shown in the scriptures to be a "God of disasters."

God "creates evil," calamities and disasters. "I make peace and create evil." (Isaiah 45: 7) "Is there evil in a city and the Lord has not done it?" (Amos 3: 6)

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8)

All these "seasons" and "times" are in the hand of the Lord! Seasons and times for both nations and individuals, are "in his hands."

Certainly the time of our births were in the hands of the Lord. Certainly too the time of our deaths is known to him. The time when we are "called by his grace," when we are "re-born," when we come to salvation in Christ, was a "time" that was "in the hand on the Lord."All our "times" are "in his hand"!

Times of joy and times of sorrow,times for sinners to come to Christ, times for them to seek him and find him. In this sense, the Psalmist speaks of the times being in his"own hand."

"My soul is continually in my hand" says he. (Psalm 119: 109) His "soul," as well as his circumstances and times, were in God's hand, first and foremost, but it did not exclude David being responsible.

Since all things are in the "hand of the Lord," and since he has promised good to those who come to him through Christ, the Christian may well say, with full assurance:

"All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8: 28)

Were all things, all times, not in the "hand of the Lord," then we could have no complete assurance that such will be the case.

Sinner friend, though your circumstances are under God's all prevailing providence and government, you are responsible for your life. Are you prepared to answer before the awful judgment bar of God for your sins? What defense will you offer? I trust and pray you will see that you have no standing outside of Christ and his death and atonement for sin. Will you receive his atonement today and be prepared to plead the blood of Christ on judgment day?

(Borrowed from "My Daily Bread" - SEE HERE)