Earlier this evening in South Carolina we experienced an earthquake. I, personally, had never felt an earthquake. I heard what sounded like thunder and then the house began to shake. It was an eerie feeling and in that moment I realized that I had absolutely no control over the situation. I just had to brace myself and enjoy the ride - all 5 seconds of it.
This year I have been trying to make better decisions about the food I eat and have even been working out some. However, to those of you who deprive yourselves on a daily basis of good food and punish your bodies with insane amounts of exercise, you need to realize that there is nothing you can do to add one second to your earthly lives. Psalm 139:16 speaks to us about how God knew the number of our days before we were even born. This is something else that you have absolutely no control over.
Take heart, my friends, because there is one thing you can have control over. When you come down to the end of your earthly life your weight, how healthy you are, or what you own won't matter. The only thing that will matter is who you know. You can have a relationship with the creator of the Universe through His Son, Jesus Christ. We were separated from God because of our sins - something we had no control over. Jesus laid down his life voluntarily so that we may once again gain fellowship with God and have life eternal - something He had complete control over.
So the next time you find yourself in an earthquake or some other situation that you have no control over remember that you can have a relationship with the One who is in control of the situation. All He asks us to do is to believe in His sacrifice and resurrection and to turn from our sins. John 16:33 tells us that in this world we will have trouble, but we can take heart because He has overcome the world. Even though I just experienced my first earthquake I will sleep easy tonight and remember the song most of us learned as children - "He's got the whole world in His hands!"
