The Good News That Someone’s In Charge

Why Jesus Is My Hero #27 of 52

In a messed up world, it’s good to know that someone’s in control. In recent centuries, the idea of a “meta-narrative” has somewhat gone out of fashion – the idea that there is some bigger story that everything is building towards. People today say everything “just happens”, that there’s no use looking for meaning or purpose in events, because there is none. We’re bumped around by blind chance like little pollen seeds moving about by Brownian motion.

Thankfully that’s far from my experience, and it’s certainly not what the Bible teaches. This weekend I’ve been so encouraged by various answers to prayer that have reminded me that there is someone in control of the world, orchestrating events according to his master plan for his own purposes. Things may look chaotic at times, and often we can’t understand how things fit into his plan, but the Christian is called to trust and have faith that they do.

We see this glorious truth presented in Daniel 7:13-14:

“I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.”

The Creator God has crowned his son, Jesus Christ, as the ruler of the universe – the one with all power and dominion and authority. He rules. Not like some slightly incompetent British politician who does his best but whose hands are tied by the opposition party and his own unwillingness to upset the electorate. He rules with absolute sovereignty, which is glorious news because this king is good – supremely good. It is a rule that no tyrant can ever thwart or destroy, a rule that shall never be brought to an end by death.

The universe is in the hands of a mighty Saviour, and everything is working to further his plans. Hurrah.