Let God Cover the Bases

For years I lived with the misguided notion that I was in control. I am naturally a person who thrives on having all the bases covered and knowing I can take care of myself and my family.

Maybe you can relate. I spend time scheduling every minute of my family’s lives to get our agenda accomplished. To maximize efficiency, Plan B is in place, just in case Plan A falls through. Every night I watch the weather report to know what to wear the next day, and listen to the radio in the morning to figure out the fastest route around traffic problems.

We invest our money to make our future more secure. Exercise, eating nutritious food, and regular medical check-ups help me feel like I’m controlling my family’s health. Weekly dinner menus are written out before I go to the grocery store so essential ingredients aren’t forgotten. My husband and I research the best deals on vacation spots, which cars are better on gas mileage, and what neighborhood to live in.

Weather, finances, health, the future … we plan, plan, plan for these. While God calls us to be good stewards of our time and resources by planning, we ultimately aren’t in control. It’s important to see the greater picture—no matter how much you and I think we have everything covered, someone else is in charge. This is a good thing because there are circumstances that are out of our control and we need someone wiser and stronger to cover us when the storms of life hit hard.

Psalm 91:1 promises us that “those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (NIV) I saw this picture one day while running errands.

I had managed to check everything off my list on a cold, rainy day and had just one more stop. The last errand after picking up my kids from school was the public library.

We stepped out of the car and immediately opened our umbrellas. My children’s little arms had not yet mastered the art of holding the small umbrellas directly over their heads, so I held my large golf umbrella over them to ensure no one got wet. As they sloshed through the puddles, they didn’t notice how I was sheltering them from the rain and thought they were managing fine without me. I then saw how God is always covering me, even when I think I am in control. He shelters us in every weather, season, and event—and gives us rest under His protection.

Our responsibility is to seek the Lord and His plan for our lives before we carry out our own agenda. He will guide us with wisdom and discernment. When we follow His plans, we can rest under His care. Then, when it rains, the car breaks down, the diagnosis is frightening, the bank account dwindles, or all our plans go topsy-turvy, we know without a doubt that God is in control and has us covered.