From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[a]
Acts 17:26-28a
I often am baffled by God and His sovereignty. How, in His wisdom and power, He sets times and dates for every purpose under heaven. As I read this verse I was gently reminded of the fact that God has placed each person exactly where He intended both in history and location in the world. He could've chosen to place you anywhere in time and place. But, He chose here and now, in the middle of a global pandemic with many unknowns. It would make sense to wonder why and fret. However, His positioning is not without purpose. It is divine and strategic.
He does this with every single human being and designed such things before each one was even created. Why? So that they would seek Him and reach out for Him and find Him. He chose the date and time of your birth, the parents you would be born to, the city and state you would grow up in, the talents and gifts you have, the regions you would step into, the people you would know, and influence/impact and vice versa. Nothing about our existence is an accident or chance. It all is meant to serve a purpose. Including your place at this time in history.
What is our response to our current circumstances? What is our response when we look around and see trouble and uncertainty? What is our response when we face hardship? What is our default mindset when we experience both seasons of blessing and seasons of trial? Do we find ourselves yearning for God, seeking Him, reaching for Him, and discovering that each one of us not only was made for such a time as this, but we are meant to experience God through it all? Is our response to run toward Him from the deep understanding that we need Him? That is the point. That we would acknowledge God and His constant presence and learn to seek Him that we would know Him better. That we would crave His presence and desire Him more than anything. That we would KNOW Him. Though we may not have every answer to everything, when we understand that the all-powerful God of all creation is near and present and desires a relationship with us, it makes Jesus the only answer we really need.
Heavenly Father,
Help us to acknowledge your sovereignty and trust you as the Almighty. Would you take our doubt and fear and shatter both by your perfect love? Help us to acknowledge your presence. Help us to seek you and find you that we may not only know you, but we may know who you created us to be, for this time and this place in history. None of your works or creation are accidents. Nothing you do lacks purpose or intentionality. Open our eyes to see you, our ears to hear you speaking, and our hearts to receive your revelation. Give us a greater revelation of your love and help us to receive it in such a way that leaves us transformed and more like Jesus. Help us to live out the purposes and plans you have for us with a sense of urgency and deep faith. Help us to love where you have placed us and the people you have placed around us. In you, may we learn to live and move and have our being.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.