"The Sovereign God"

  It was a city named Ramah. It was a deportation centre where the conqueror gathered the captives together before scattering them throughout the world. It was a place of heartache and to be feared. Rachel was the mother of Israel (she married Jacob) and Jeremiah speaks that Rachel is crying over her children.

  The Lord speaks through Jeremiah about Ramah and the bitter weeping to take place. It is pictured as Rachel weeping for her children (Israel the nation) as they are being taken off into captivity (Jer. 31:15). Then the Lord speaks: "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; for you work will be rewarded," 'declares the Lord,' "and they will return from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future," declares the Lord, "and you children will return to their own territory." (Jer. 15:16-17)

  What words of comfort if the people would heed. The God of heaven, the sovereign Lord of the all creation says there are better days ahead. But the people sit and watch things presently and speak, "But what about in the meantime? What is happening now?" We must face the present but we must face it in the presence of the Lord. The Lord tells Israel not to cry but those aren't words to just shrug off the present situation. The Lord speaks that you say you trust Me but you act like all is lost!

  We need to learn as they had to learn that the Lord, our Father and God, is the sovereign ruler of the present and the future. The Lord promises a glorious future. We have painted for us a future of a new resurrection, a new body and a new world where sin and death aren't present (I Cor. 15). What are we to do with the present? "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." (I Cor. 15:58)

  HE THAT CONTROLS THE FUTURE IS THE LORD OF THE PRESENT!!! No matter if there is economic chaos, the inoperable tumors, the ungodly governments or whatever man does, God is sovereign. The Lord of the future is working in the present. He is shaping the future and is sovereign over the present. We must look with faith to the promised glory. We can gain peace in the middle of political, economic and moral social storms if we would only seek and trust God. God has not changed! God is not silent! It's us who run every where, with every thought, with every fear which takes our focus and trust away from the God who is sovereign! TRUST!