Who Is Really In Charge?

Elisha said, “Listen! God’s word! The famine’s over. This time tomorrow food will be plentiful—a handful of meal for a shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel. The market at the city gate will be buzzing.”
The attendant on whom the king leaned for support said to the Holy Man, “You expect us to believe that? Trapdoors opening in the sky and food tumbling out?”
“You’ll watch it with your own eyes,” he said, “but you will not eat so much as a mouthful!” 2 Kings 7:1-2 (The Message)

Samaria was in dire straits. Under siege from the fierce king, Ben-hadad, Israel was slowly starving as prices soared sky-high. Food was so scarce that people were eating donkey heads (now that is desperation, don’t you think?) and spending an exorbitant amount of money for the privilege. The godly prophet, Elisha, reminded the people of Samaria who was really in charge. The famine had been raging on, with no way for Samaria to know how long it would continue. I can imagine the fear and panic that spread through each household with hungry children to feed.

The news today is full of dire predictions about our economy. With the cost of crude oil at an all-time high, no one can predict how much it will cost to fill our gas tanks this summer. Some are saying we are in a recession. So many are in danger of losing their homes or cannot sell the one they have. People from my home state of Michigan have to worry daily if they will still have a job tomorrow. Many have been laid off.

I need a fresh reminder about who is in charge. It certainly is not Uncle Sam or our nation’s politicians. No, the One who is in charge is the same God who made water flow from a rock, fed His people with manna for forty years, and saved a widow’s sons with an oil bottle that kept pouring oil until her debt was paid. His resources are limitless. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. The earth is His and everything that is in it. More than that, He promises that if His own will humble themselves and pray, He will hear from heaven and heal their land.

Oh, Jesus, I need Your fresh word of encouragement spoken over my heart today. I can be so consumed with fear. Yet You tell me not to worry because Your Father knows everything that I need and He will withhold no good thing from those who walk humbly before Him. Help me not to be led by my fears today but by the knowledge that the God of the universe is on the throne waiting to show me His awesome, miraculous ability to provide everything I need out of the nothing of my situation. And may I live in the hope that You can do this by this time tomorrow.