Have you ever heard or had another Christian (or even a non Christian) say to you "God is in control"? Those words of truth can be reassuring and comforting words of reminder to us when we are overcome by the heaviness of our circumstances. Make no mistake about...the scriptures are replete with the testimony that those words are indeed the absolute Truth. Indeed the God of the universe is in complete control.
I bring this up because of the amount of times I hear those words stated to me in relation to my passion to encourage Christians to be, at a minimum...cognizant of what is going on in their nation, if not much more engaged in pursuing a minimum understanding of how our government is designed to work under the Constitution. The statement "God is in control" is not used so much to relate its truth, as it is as some sort of message to silence those that are engaged. I am convinced that it also is used many times to relieve oneself of his/her responsibility to be engaged.
Let's try this on for size...how many people that use that phrase are apt to let go of the steering wheel on their vehicle as they are driving around town? After all, "God IS in control"...right? Are you not trusting of God enough to "let go and let God" when it comes to the steering wheel of your vehicle as you hurtle down the road navigating turns, lanes of traffic, and intersections?? After all God is in control....why "worry", He will take care of everything for you!
You say, "come on Bob, that's way different, and your being silly and making a ridiculous comparison....you can't just let go of your steering wheel on your car, it's a machine...and after all Bob, you got into the car of your own mind, God would expect you to keep your hands on the wheel". All true. I couldn't agree more.
But let me show you why you're telling me the EXACT same thing when you tell me not to "worry" about what is going on in our country, because God is in control. I would be the first to agree with you again, that as Christians, we never have to "worry". We serve a God that we know IS in control. However, just as you would not let go of the steering wheel of your vehicle as you drive down the road, why would you let go of the "steering wheel" of your government? Both the vehicle and our government are designed to operate with people at the controls. Just as you would never quit steering your car as you go down the road, why would you think you could quit "steering" our government which was actually designed for much more input from you than the few corrections you make on your steering wheel as you navigate the streets and highways.
Permit me to take this illustration a few steps further. Any sensible driver will pay at least minimum attention to the gauges on the dashboard to see if everything is running ok. Why would you not pay attention to the "gauges" on the dashboard of our government to make sure that everything is operating within the parameters of the design manual?
God is indeed in control. He left us here on earth specifically to "operate" and make a difference in His Kingdom until he returns, so let's keep our eyes on the gauges and our hands on the wheel.
Very well written, wonderful analogy. You have such a gift!
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