Chaos Under Control

Our world appears to be in chaos. Images and words shared across the globe raise anxiety, anger, and pain. How in the world, why in the world, does God allow so much evil? Can He possibly have this chaos under control?

Chaos In My World/Our World

Life the last few weeks was busy in my world. Family came to town. Included in our gatherings were two siblings who have life threatening conditions. I was so immersed in our personal family time that I was unaware of the chaos half-way around the globe.

Five days ago, family members were back home and my skin cancer surgery scheduled for the day they left was over. I was finally still long enough to hear the news. That’s when I understood. It isn’t just my world in chaos; the whole planet is reeling from the effects of evil at work.

Where Do We Go For Help?

The troubles of 2020 never completely disappeared, but news from Afghanistan shocked me. How is it possible for such chaos to engulf so many so quickly?

My skin cancer surgery was a minor affair, but it slowed me down this week, allowing more time to be still. A good thing. Especially now.

Taking a slow, quiet morning today, I realized just how far behind I am in my Bible reading. Figuring where I should be in order to finish in a year, I jumped ahead to Daniel. Rather than staying in “catch-up” mode for the rest of the year, I figured I’d move ahead on schedule and simultaneously work on finishing Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Ezekiel.

One small decision. One big revelation.

History Repeats Itself

As I read from Jeremiah and Daniel today, I saw that chaos in our world is nothing new. Mankind turning its back on God is as old as the beginning of time.

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, was sent by God to speak to His people living in the land of Judah. For nearly forty years, Jeremiah spoke God’s words to people who did not want to hear.

“…see if there has ever been anything like this: Has a nation ever exchanged its gods? (But they were not gods!) Yet my people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.

Be appalled at this, heavens; be shocked and utterly desolated! This is the LORD’s declaration. For my people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves — cracked cisterns that cannot hold water.”

Jeremiah 2:10b-13 (CSB)

Millenia ago, God’s chosen people turned their backs on the One who had saved them from the chaos of Egyptian slavery and delivered them to the Land of Promise. They chose to ignore their Creator and Source of life, choosing idols of their own making.

We humans don’t seem to have learned from history. Instead, it appears we choose to repeat history. Simply because we don’t want to bow before our Maker.

Daniel’s Day

Grasping that reminder, I moved on to start reading Daniel. I remembered that Daniel was born during the time of Jeremiah the prophet. Jeremiah warned the people of Judah to turn back to God, but most ignored God’s prophet.

Even though a few like Daniel continued faithful, God could no longer leave the wrong alone. His plan included discipline for those He loved. Chaos was on its way.

Daniel and Jeremiah both were men of God. Each man served the God of Israel well. Yet chaos abounded in their day. Jeremiah was treated harshly for speaking words of truth. Daniel was taken captive by the Babylonian army and marched from his home to Babylon, destined to spend the rest of his life serving pagan leaders in a foreign nation. The world Jeremiah and Daniel lived in was no more peaceful than ours is now.

The Sovereign King

Although my decision today to jump ahead in my Bible reading caused me to read in two different books of the Bible, I wound up reading stories from people who were on the earth at the same time and in the same region. That was enough of a surprise.

Then I read Tony Evans’ commentary at the beginning of the book of Daniel and knew God wanted me to listen.

“Daniel shows that the God of heaven rules on earth, even when earth seems to be out of control.” 

Tony Evans Study Bible, page 990

God is on His throne. Always. He reigns from there, over all the earth. No chaos anywhere surprises Him. As hard and dreadful as life on this planet gets, Jehovah is King and Sovereign of all. Nothing happens unless He allows it.

And therein lies our hope.

God Has Chaos Under Control

No matter how hard it is to watch or believe, God has all chaos under His control. And He is working all things, including the hard things in life, for the good of those who love him. Our Father hurts when His world is in shambles, when people hurt people. He hurts when we refuse to love and obey Him. He knows that He alone offers everything people need for a life full of purpose and joy. And He wants as many as will receive Him to have that life.

Even though God is Sovereign, He’s willing to wait. God desires souls to recognize His love for them, and so He keeps giving more time for people to turn to the Light. There will come a day when chaos no longer exists, a day when God will deal fully with evil. Death will die. And Life will reign forever.

Until then, God chooses to keep chaos under control here on this planet. He knows that sometimes it takes chaos to turn hearts to Him. And when chaos is a result of man’s pride and desire for power, God is still Sovereign over all.

Trust The One Who Knows The End Of The Story

Were it not for the fact that the one true God of the universe is both good and Sovereign, I would give up. But none of us has to give up. Instead, we get to give in. To Him. 

My heart hurts for those caught in the grips of chaos. Thankfully God has everything, including chaos, under control. My job is to trust the Father. He has already told us the end of the story. Evil does not win. Christ has already won.

May each of us fix our eyes on the Savior, pray for those hurting and in danger, and trust completely in the LORD who truly has even today’s chaos under control.

“This is what the LORD, the King of Israel and its Redeemer, the LORD of Armies, says: I am the first and I am the last. There is no God but me.”

Isaiah 44:6 (CSB)

“Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other.”

Isaiah 45:22 (CSB)

(Photos: Taken by Carolyn Thigpen, July, 2021, Tribble Mill Park, Georgia)