Control

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

Matthew 16:24-27


I see so many people that are fighting to maintain control. They want to be valiant Christians, but they let fear and doubt get in the way. They worry so much about saving themselves and creating a safe harbor, a nest to pad them and their loved ones from the dangers of the big scary world that they are actually insulating themselves from what is really important.

They are attracted to activities that are all about being the overseer, the watcher, the one in control. Maybe they pose men and woman on the stage like pawns, maybe they paint perfect little worlds that they lord over like a god.... maybe they set up little microcosms where they set every little piece in synchronized motion, a perfectly ordered little world where every variable is calculated and everything is under control. Everything runs right according to schedule and everything is predictable. Safe becomes the lack of risk. Control equals comfort.

Control is always just a mirage. It's a trick to make you feel comfortable and placated, pacified and cozy. It's the wool being pulled over your eyes. The truth is we aren't ever in control. We cling to a massive rock that hurls through the frozen void of space at about ninteen and a half miles per second. We can do very little to make us safe. All the locks and deadbolts and rules and structure in the world cannot save us from truth. And that truth is that we aren’t supposed to live locked away… We are charged as Christ-followers to head out into the world and help people, tell them the Good News and live as Christ did.

Jesus taught us not to hold onto what we have, He called us to let go. He didn't want us to be safe hoarders of things. He called on us over and over again to reach out to others. If someone steals your jacket, give him your shirt as well. If we see a stranger down we are to jump into harms way and rescue him. If someone strikes you, turn and let him strike your other side. We are to give up the idea that we have to be overlords of our own destiny and just live in peace that God's grace is enough, his plan is perfect and His promises assured.

Once you've given up control, life becomes much easier. You find a new freedom. This freedom from worry and doubt allows you to walk through the world as a light barrier. Snakes will not bite you, poison will have no effect and miracles will happen in your midst (Mark 16:18).


What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32,33

Imagine that there was once a man in a boat. He had crafted it by hand and loved it with all his heart. He was sailing around just outside the harbor when a massive storm blew in from the ocean catching the sailor off guard. Before he could get back to safty, the winds rose and sheets of rain fell from the darkening heavens. Then, a massive wave came up and capsized his vessel. He scrambled quickly to secure the hold of the up-side-down craft. He held on and prayed for God to save him. He clung to the boat for dear life knowing that he had to hold on so he could wouldn't drowned.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard came and saw the man and the capsized boat. They rushed to the rescue. The threw out a life line and called for him to let go and grab the rope. They promised to pull him in and take him to safty. But the man wouldn't let go. He couldn't accept the risk of losing control. So he was left there on the stormy seas.

Today is a good day to stop clinging to what we have. It's time to let go and let God take over. It's time to be cast onto the wind to spread the good news. It's time to leave the games behind and go out and change the world.