The God who changes times and seasons
The referendum is nearly upon us; I hope you are planning to vote. I confess I still feel as confused as ever and all the information on helpful websites doesn’t quite seem to make it clear what to do, which way to go, whose promises to believe. What does seem clear is that no one knows how things will turn out, least of all the politicians who are urging us with such conviction to follow them on the path to true prosperity and greatness. At one level it is rather scary and I can imagine that whichever way the vote goes we are in for a bit of a rough ride.
God’s people have always been, in some sense, at the mercy of kings and rulers. Throughout history decisions have been made by the powerful and for the powerful; with rare exceptions the good of the people doesn’t come into it. But we have in the Bible some wonderful promises from a King who is trustworthy and true, who is concerned for the good of his people. And this King is the King of kings. In Daniel 2:21-22 the eponymous prophet says:
God changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden highs; He knows what lies in darkness and light dwells with Him.
Our God is the sovereign ruler of all and that includes European politics! He knows exactly what will happen on Thursday; in fact He has already planned it. Moreover, whatever the consequences may be from Thursday’s decision, we can be sure that God is working for the good of His people. It may be that we are disappointed by the result; it might be the case that we all have a little bit less in our pockets; it may be that we have to deal with uncertainty and volatility in the economy for years to come. But we can be absolutely sure that our God reigns; He is unshakeable; His promises are true. Our part is to trust him. We can show our trust in Him by praying before hand for God’s good will to be done; by remaining calm in the face of wild and aggressive assertions by others; by not giving in to despair, whatever the result. Our God knows what lies in darkness and light dwells with Him – how reassuring!