PSALM 31:15 – My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors.”

It is one of the famous quotes of all times. It comes from Charles Dickens and his book A Tale of Two Cities. More often than not, only the first part is quoted–“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Here is the entire quote,“ It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

As we ponder Dickens’ words penned in 1859, we may nod in some agreement in 2021 over the contrasts he makes. First, we would be hard pressed to say “this is the best of times” but we equally cannot say “it is the worst of times.” Oh, we feel that way because it is our time in history. Yet, look through human history and every generation has lamented “it was the worst of times.” As for the age of wisdom? Well, not in our world. Our culture has an explosion of knowledge but certainly no wisdom because true wisdom is walking in the fear of God and that doesn’t mark our world (Proverbs 9:10;Romans 3:18). But Dickens is right about the age of foolishness. Just look at the insanity of sin all around us as what God calls “abominations”, we celebrate as freedoms. We could go on and on with Dickens’ quote and I would encourage us to see the contrasts he makes and do so Biblically. For our purposes we want to be encouraged about the times in which we live by what God says of the times in which we live.

The author of today’s Psalm, David, is experiencing tremendous highs and lows throughout the Psalm. He could have said of this period in his life, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Instead, he writes, “My times are in your hand.” What comforting truth! What encouraging words!

Friend, Whatever intense trial we are in; whatever difficult season of suffering we are enduring; and whatever tough circumstance we are facing, always remember God is sovereign–our times are in His Hands. Everything that has come into our lives in the past, is presently in our lives, and will come into our lives in the future originated from heaven, came from heaven, and is for our good and God’s glory. Yes, it might not feel so or look so, but it is so. Take comfort, great comfort, in this truth.

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You my times are in Your Hands meaning everything in my life is from You and You are always good.”
QUOTE: “Rest in the truth that all things in our lives are from God, controlled by God, and will bring glory to God.”

Because of Him,
Pastor Jim