Wednesday Night 5/6/2020

I want to again welcome you tonight to our Wednesday Night Service.

As I thought and prayed about what I’d share with you tonight, my mind kept going back to a passage I read earlier in the week. The passage is found in Proverbs 21. It’s a short passage, but the words impacted me on a couple of different fronts.

One hand it’s left me thinking about unrest that is going on in our country when it comes to the Coronavirus. And the unrest I’m referring to is the differing views and feelings people are having in regard to the reopening of our States and local businesses as each Governor lays out their plan for their State.

One response comes from the side that wants the Governors to open up everything immediately. Their desire is for life to get back to normal as quickly as possible. In addition to that, this side also isn’t happy with the lockdown and to some degree feel like their freedoms and rights are being infringed upon.

The other response is coming from the side that wants the Governors to take it slow. To not jump the gun and risk the virus spreading more than it already has. This side seems happy to let go of whatever freedoms are necessary in order to keep themselves and others safe. In addition to that, they feel those who want to open up are selfish and don’t care about the safety of others.

And the truth is, not only is it causing unrest, it’s creating a divide in our country.

But not only did it leave me thinking of the unrest of our country, but the unrest each of us are personally experiencing. Because the fact is, this virus and its consequences have impacted and impacted and disrupted all of our lives, but in different ways.

For some, it’s impacted our finances and our source of livelihood. If you own a small business this is especially true. You know exactly what I’m talking about.

For some, it’s disrupted our sense of routine, I know for me that’s true. I’m the kind of person that likes routine, and the virus has messed that up. Messed up my workout routine. Messed up my work routine. And the list goes on. Maybe you can relate with that has well.

For others, it’s impacted their sense of security. Prior to the virus going to Walmart, going to church, or attending a social gathering brought no fear. But now, they’re fearful. Now they don’t feel secure when they go out in public.

For others, it’s disrupted their sense of control. Prior to the virus, they felt like they were in the driver seat of their life. Fully in control of where they were headed. But now, uncertainty lies ahead as they find themselves in the passenger seat having to put their trust in local, Sate, and Federal officials. And it’s driving you crazy.

And then for some, it’s impacted your mental and emotional health as you grieve what the virus has stolen. It’s almost like a death has occured as you go through a roller coaster of emotions from shock, to anger, to denial, and maybe even for some, depression as you consider the loss all of this has brought to your life.

The fact is, this virus has created unrest on multiple levels of our lives.

Now, you might be thinking, “That’s great pastor. Thanks for reminding me of all that. That’s exactly what I needed. Thank you for creating more unrest in me.”

Well, that’s not my goal at all, but I do think we need to address the elephant in the room, because this is what we are all struggling with whether we want to talk about it or not.

And so what I’d like to do is talk about our unrest for a moment, and to do that I want to share this passage with you from Proverbs 21. And like I said, it’s a short passage, but I think you’ll see the impact of it just as I did. And my hope would be, after looking at this passage tonight, we might be able to calm and maybe even eliminate the unrest.

So, with no further ado, here’s the passage I want to share with you found in Proverbs 21:1. Solomon writes:

Proverbs 21:1 ESV

1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

I just love the imagery that Solomon is using here as he creates a picture for us to consider.

And the picture is of a running river or stream that stretches for miles and miles as it flows to some unknown destination.

What a beautiful picture for us to consider. In fact, it reminded me of something that my brother and I used to do when we were little.

You see, we grew up in NW Kansas, and if you haven’t been to NW Kansas, well there aren’t many rivers or streams there. But we did like to play with water.

And so something we did, that you might find a little odd, is from time to time we would create a lake in the middle of the yard with a water hose, and then we would dig trenches to direct the water to different places. You might wonder, “Where did we direct it to?”

Well, sometimes we would direct it to an ant hill we wanted to flood. I know pretty sadistic, right?

Or sometimes would direct it to a hole that we thought a snake might be in. Nothing like flooding a snake out of its hole.

Why did we do it? I don’t know. When you grow up on a farm in the 80’s with no video games, no iPhones, and 3 channels on the tv, you find things to keep you busy. So, that’s what we did.

But that’s what this scripture reminded me.

Now, you might be thinking, “Pastor, why did it remind you of that?”

It reminded me of that because Solomon says that’s how God handles our lives. Because Solomon says our lives, which are represented by the heart, are like little streams. Streams from which all of our decisions, desires, and direction flow out of. And just like my brother and I directed the flow of water, Solomon says that God directs the flow or our lives as He takes His hand and creates new channels of flow and direction in our lives.

What an amazing picture, right? I mean think about it. Picture your life as a flowing stream that is moving in one direction, but then all of a sudden a new path forms in front of you that leads in a different direction. And then before long, another new path forms that turns your life down a different path. But it’s not a direction that you set. But instead a direction and path that God has created for you as He digs ahead of you directing and leading you to a specific place for a specific purpose. His purpose.

Solomon says that’s how life works, and it tells us a couple of things about our lives.

First, that we aren’t really in control. Yes we make decisions. Yes we make choices. But God directs the flow and direction of those decisions to accomplish His plan and purpose.

Second, if God is in control, and we trust Him, then we don’t have to worry about the direction. In other words, because God is a good God, we know we can trust that His direction is best. His direction is the safest way to go. The Apostle Paul puts it like this:

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Paul says God works all things in our lives for good.

Now, does that mean there won’t be turbulent waters? Does that mean there won’t be some rapids we might have to face? Of course not. The fact is, Jesus said life isn’t going to always be a peaceful stream. But what we have to remember, is that regardless of the circumstance, God is in control and he is guiding our path. That just like Solomon said, our heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he wills.

So, with that as our understanding, let’s consider what that means when it comes to our current circumstance as we face the corona virus and the consequences it has brought.

First, let’s consider what it means when it comes to governing officials. Because what I want you to notice, is the direct application for the Scripture is directed at “Kings”. Notice again what Solomon says. He says:

Proverbs 21:1 ESV

1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

He says the king’s heart is a stream of water. Here’s what this means for you and me, because here’s another way you could say it:

President Trump’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord: he turns it wherever he will.

Governor Kelly’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

Mayor Barnes heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

You see, what Solomon is saying, is that regardless of what decision President Trump makes, or Governor Kelly makes, or even Mayor Barnes makes concerning our local community, that at the end of the day, God is the dominant authority.

That regardless of what order they give, what restrictions they place, what the reopen or don’t reopen, that at the end of the day, God is the one guiding it. That God is the one in control.

Which means, you can get mad at President Trump or Governor Kelly all you want. You can stomp your foot, shake your fist, and threaten to vote them out. You can be mad the country is opening up or mad it’s not opening up fast enough. Because at the end of the day, they’re not actually the ones in control. Why? Because their decisions are being directed by the hand of God. And at the end of the day, regardless of what they say or do, God’s will will be done. God directs the flow.

And that’s really good news for us tonight, and quite honestly, should bring us great peace and rest. To know that a good God, that works all things for good is the one who is actually in control. And that regardless of the decision of a king, that God is the one who directs the outcome. That for me is comforting. That for me brings great peace.

So, that’s the first consideration I’d like to give you.

The second is this. What is true for the King’s decisions is true for your personal decisions as well.

Remember I said I like routine? To be honest, that’s just another way of saying I like to be in control. I like to know where I’m going, when I’m going there, and how I’m going to get there.

And I think if we’re all honest, that’s how a lot of us are. Because with this virus, that’s what we’ve all lost. We’ve lost control of our personal kingdoms in which we are kings and queens of our lives.

And we don’t like that we’ve lost control. Control of our health. Control of our finances. Control of our freedom. Control of our comfort. We’ve lost it all.

But here’s the deal, we were never in control. How do I know? I know because we’re not the dominant authority in our own lives. That fact is, God is actually the one who is in control and the one directing the flow of our lives. He’s the one who directs kings, remember? And if we’re honest, that’s a hard pill to swallow.

Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about.

Several months ago Denise and I started making plans for the month of June. And as we made plans, decisions were made, tickets were purchased, hotels were reserved, and travel plans were made. Because for Denise and I, June is a month where we take some time off, get away, and unwind.

This year our plan was to go on an a 12 day Alaskan Cruise. It was planned for the middle of June and we were super excited about it. But then the Corona Virus came along, and before we knew it, our plans had changed. In fact, they’d been canceled. And if I’m being honest with you, it really upset me. Made me mad. In fact, I kind of said to God, “God, what’s the deal. I’ve worked hard all year. I was so looking forward to this vacation. In fact God, I needed it. And now this stupid virus has stolen it from me.”

But then I thought, well, I can still get away. Maybe we can just do something more local. Maybe we can still find a place to go.

But then Governor Kelly issued an emergency order and shut businesses and churches down. And now, here I am, trying to figure out what the next few months look like. Knowing all along it would mean getting away anytime soon wouldn’t be an option. And now I was mad at the governor. And I was like, “What in the world does she think she’s doing? Who does she think she is? She better enjoy being Governor, because when the next election comes around, she’s not getting my vote.”

Hey, I’m just being transparent. That’s where I was at. But then I read this verse. And the Lord reminded me that it’s not President’s Trumps Fault. It’s not Governor Kelly’s fault. And that it if I wanted to blame somebody, it’s His fault. Because He’s the one directing the flow. He’s the one who has allowed all of this to happen

But instead of getting mad, to be honest, I felt peace. Because in that moment I realized that God has a purpose in all of this. A purpose I can trust. And it’s bigger and better than my Alaskan Cruise. Because that’s not the direction God wanted me to go.

And it’s bigger and better than me getting some time off. Because that’s not the direction God wanted me to go right now.

You see, what God showed me is the direction of His flow is best. That through this God is leading all of us somewhere, and it’s for His purpose. And I believe ultimately a good purpose. A purpose that can only be accomplished by the flow and direction of the river changing. Yes, it’s uncomfortable. Yes, it’s uncertain. But if we truly believe God is a God that works all things for good, then we have to trust the direction He’s taken us. We have to trust that the channels he’s digging ahead of us are leading us to something bigger and better.

Because at the end of the day, the king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

As we close tonight, and the worship team comes, I don’t know what aspect of unrest you are dealing with. Whether it’s the unrest of reopening or not opening soon enough. Or whether it’s the unrest of whether your business is going to survive or not. Or if it’s the unrest of the loss of freedom and control. What I’d like you to consider tonight, is that while you may not like the flow of the river, that God is the one directing its path. That God is leading us towards His will. And that if you will trust Him, and put your hope in Him, that the saying that Paul gives us in Romans 8:28 is for you.

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

That my friends is where the rest can be found. Rest in knowing that a God who loves us is directing our path. Tonight, that’s where our peace and hope can be found.

Let’s Pray

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