When man is left to his own devices, strange, delusional thinking oftentimes takes over. In Genesis 11 many of that day were determined to control God, so that they could have control over things like the flood, etc. They set out to build a tower known as the tower of Babel. Where is that tower? God quickly put an end to that folly by scrambling the language and dispersing the people so that such foolishness would not take place again.The same high-mindedness still exists. Have you listened lately to some of the things said about controlling the weather and the atmosphere? Great claims of reversing climate change are being made, and some of the high-tech oligarchs are now advancing ideas of controlling the sun exposure to the earth and changing the weather patterns. Really! Solomon penned: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). It is God who made all and God who controls all (Heb. 1:2-3). Oh yes, there is “Somebody bigger than you and I” 1967), the song made famous by Elvis Presley, and everyone will accept it someday.

God directs the nations (Dan. 4:25, 32). Make no mistake about it, dear friend, God rules in the kingdoms of men. He rules and acts at His good pleasure (Acts 1:7). He does what he does to accomplish His will. Does it make any sense at all that His created man could take over the earth which belongs to Him [God]? Oh, men have thought they could throughout the ages, but where are they now?

God directs wicked people (Rom. 12:19). Wickedness does exist and is prevalent in the earth, but will not go unnoticed or unpunished. King David of old affirmed that “the Lord reigns” (Psalm 97). To Jeremiah God declared that wicked Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is “my servant” (Jer. 25:9). God used wicked Nebuchadnezzar to exact His [God’s] punishment on those who had disobeyed Him, even the children of Israel. When you’re concerned about the wickedness on the earth and all around you, remember there is One in control of all (Gen. 50:20).

God directs His earth (Heb. 1:3). The earth is here by and through the word of His power.In Job 38 God asked a series of questions of Job, beginning with “where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (v. 4). He continues asking about the control of the waves of the sea (v. 11), the treasures of the snow (v. 22), the controlling of the light and wind (v. 24), the placing of the constellations (v. 31), and perhaps the most humbling question of all: “Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the heart?” (v. 36). A question to Job, his friends, and to all, where did you get your understanding? The earth was God’s from the beginning (Gen. 1). It will be God’s as long as the earth exists—there will be “seedtime and harvest,” the seasons, day and night (Gen. 8:22). God’s will and ways will not be changed (Psa. 102:26). It really is not hard to see that there is One bigger than you and I.

God directs by His providence. Man can’t conclusively answer as to the specifics of His providential care (Esther 4:14), because mankind cannot see behind the veil. God’s providence is not a miracle. Those are two different things. Miracles were an open manifestation of the power of God (Exodus 14, Acts 4:14, 16); providence is God working behind the scenes to attend to His creation and to care for His children (Rom. 8:28). Again, can one explain every detail of God’s providential care? NO! Anyone who thinks they can will err just as those who seek to discount His power err. Do you remember another observation from Job 26:14? “Lo, these are parts of His ways: but how little a portion is heard of Him? But the thunder of His power who can understand?” Yes, there is One that is bigger than you and I. The Creator who will direct our steps if we’ll let Him through the Word of Christ—the Gospel (Matt. 17:5, 28:20).

-David Hill