Daily Bible Plan - Day 14

23 February 2025

This bible plan was created by Nicky and Pippa Gumbal.

Prayer of The Day:

Lord, thank you that you promise me rest for my soul. I come to you today. I give to you my burdens. Lord, thank you that you use even weak, vulnerable, and sinful people like me. Thank you that, although you love me as I am, you love me too much to leave me as I am. Help me to take responsibility for my life and at the same time confidently trust in your sovereignty. Lord, thank you that you do not ignore my cries and that I can confidently trust in you. Thank you that I can relax and let you be God. In Jesus name, Amen.

Just Relax and Let God Be God

Joyce Meyer tweeted, ‘Just relax and let God be God.’ It is a great comfort to know that a loving God is ultimately in control of everything that happens. Bishop Sandy Millar often says in the face of some tragedy or when things have gone badly wrong: ‘The Lord reigns.’ Many times throughout the Bible, God is referred to as the Sovereign Lord. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God. If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will’? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will.

Scriptural Foundations for Relaxing in God’s Sovereignty

1. Confidently Trust in the Sovereign Lord

Read (Psalm 9:7-12):

• Key Message: God is in ultimate control of the universe: ‘the Lord reigns’ (v.7). His justice is righteous, and He will minister justice with uprightness (v.8).

• Outcomes: Knowing this brings comfort and trust, even when we don’t understand why certain things happen.

• Application: Trust that God will never forsake you: ‘And they who know Your name will lean on and confidently put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You’ (v.10, AMP).

• Action Steps:

1. Praising: ‘Sing the praises of the Lord’ (v.11a).

2. Proclaiming: ‘Proclaim among the nations what he has done’ (v.11b).

3. Praying: ‘The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble’ (v.9).

2. Accept the Invitation to Walk with Jesus

Read (Matthew 11:16–30):

• Key Message: Jesus embraces both predestination and free will. We are invited to walk with Him and find rest for our souls.

• Outcomes: The paradox of predestination and free will is that we are fully invited, and we fully have the choice to accept Jesus’ call.

• Application: Accept Jesus’ invitation: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’ (v.28).

3. Watch God Work His Purposes Out

Read (Genesis 29:1–30:43):

• Key Message: Even in our weakness and sin, God works His purposes out for His people. Jacob’s deceptive ways resulted in God’s greater purpose, which led to the birth of the twelve tribes of Israel.

• Outcomes: Despite our struggles and failures, God is always at work behind the scenes to fulfill His plan.

• Application: Trust that God is in control of your life, even when things seem unclear or difficult. ‘In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28).

Overall Takeaway

Life often feels uncertain, and we may struggle to understand how God is working in our circumstances. Yet, the Bible reassures us that God is sovereign—He reigns over all things, and His purposes will prevail. At the same time, He invites us to trust Him, to walk with Jesus, and to find rest in Him.

This does not mean we are passive observers of life. We are called to make choices, to take responsibility for our actions, and to seek Him in all things. But in the midst of it all, we can have peace, knowing that God is in control.

References

See bible plan in the youversion app.