Control Freak

I like being in control. It’s more comfortable that way, ya know, my way. But things just don’t always go as planned nor do they go my way. As a young pastor (those who are shocked it was for 2 years and I got fired twice. Once I choked out one of my parishioners, the next time for being a “bull in a china shop.” I refused to kick some black kids out of the church gym. “Those kind” didn’t attend this church. These guys fought, swore and could hang on the rim.) When you loose control things they don’t go your way. Then you deal with disappointment.
`
Last week Andrea (my middle child) and Rhodes her friend were playing Bocce’ ball on the beach. With my Bocce ball set. The uneven, soft in some spots and hard in others sand, punctuated by rocks makes it a whole new level of competition. (Mark you know its on with you this summer.) A flying rat…a.k.a. Seagull, kept interfering with Andrea’s and Rhodes game. Every time Rhodes threw the little ball the bird pecked it. (You throw out the little ball and whoever get’s closest to it with the big balls wins points.) Finally out of frustration (I think Andrea also must have scored some big points on a throw) Rhodes did what most juvenile delinquent men like me would do. He threw the little ball at the seagull. He missed. The bird fluffed his feathers, looked at Rhodes with an evil little bird smile, squawked a few times, muttered something to himself about doing flyby pooping’s on people smarter than Rhodes and Andrea and ever so calmly picked up the ball in his beak and flew away. As the bird looked over his shoulder, flying just out of Rhodes reach and flew just fast enough to elude the future Navy Seal, he must have laughed to himself. He clearly chirped “I have the ball and the control.” Rhodes chased the bird out of sight. Andrea almost vomited from complete convulsions lying in the sand gasping for air. Not finishing the game was a big disappointment. Telling me a seagull stole my ball made it worse.

The Romans were control freaks. Acts 16:16 – 40 is an interesting story about control, the loss of control and regaining meaningful control in the end. Paul, Salis, Doctor Luke and others were preaching in a Roman colony. A slave girl who had a “spirit where she could predict the future” followed them around shouting these men are servants of the highest God.” It annoyed Paul. So he cast out the spirit. She lost her ability to predict and make money for her owner. They took Paul to court and rather than being just the Romans beat them and threw them in prison, to control them. The jailer was told to guard them carefully. (No more escapes like Jesus) So he put them in stocks and chains. A gigantic earth quake took place and the fetters fell off. (Total loss of control) Paul and his men stayed. The jailer threatened to kill himself. Paul instead brought him to the Savior. By having lost total control of his life he was able to gain eternal control of his life. Remember in our weakness He is made strong.

The government officials decided to release Paul and Silas. Paul refused. What?! They beat a Roman citizen without a trial. V39 “They came to appease them and escort them from the prison.” Now Paul is now in complete control. He left on his time, after visiting the church at Lydia’s house.

My point here is this: Most of us like to be in control of our lives and future. God does not want it that way. Sure we can and should work hard and strive to succeed. But God’s view of our lives is vital.

The best way to gain control and not suffer disappointment is to put God in full control of our lives. In Romans 10:9-10 when Paul said, “If you confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord” you will be saved, he is directly referring to placing total control of our lives into God’s hands. Have you?

So, whose in control.


A