I learned a lesson from ants. Yes, ants.
I was weeding my rock garden the other day, and as I turned over a rock in order to move it, there stirred a major colony of ants. There were thousands of small, brown ants and thousands of tiny white, ant eggs!
When the rock was lifted exposing the ants to certain death, the entire colony sprang to work to rescue the eggs and take them back beneath the soil. Each ant had a job to do. Each ant had a purpose. Each ant had a mission – to save the ant eggs! They worked together for the common good.
Without a sound – no commands shouted, no trumpets blasted, and no rifles fired – just instantaneous action. Not one ant stood in defiance of the task at hand. Not one ant scurried away from the battlefield to hide in fear. Not one ant marched with a protest placard that read, “Not my war!”
All looked chaotic in the ant colony at first, but behind the scene, all was very organized. To humans, even ordinary life can seem complicated, chaotic, and stressful at times. So, how can these little replicas of society be an example for God’s eptiome of creation – namely mankind?
We are, first of all, reminded that God is always at work behind the scene! Regardless of man’s ineptness at times to deal adequately with the stress of daily life, we can look behind the camera and can say with total confidence, “God’s got this!” Why? Because almighty and sovereign God orchestrates the events of history to bring about His eternal purpose which directly and personally affects you and me.
Our job descritpion when chaos breaks out around us, when violence erupts, when sickness strikes is to stand firm in our faith – not alone, but connected to God and united with all believers; Do not lose heart. We can rely on the fact that God knows us intimately, loves us unconditionally, and accomplishes His purposes consistently. When we get weary, we can lean on Him – our shield and defender
Here’s another lesson I learned on behalf of the human race: God’s eternal truth is not altered by chaos and constant change around the world.
In the quietness of my rock garden, the words of Steve Young, GracePoint Church, remind me to “Learn to hear God in the silence so we recognize His voice in the chaos!”
Therefore, may you be encouraged to trust in the One who can deliver us from chaos, defend us against evil, give us peace that surpasses all understanding, and bring us safely home. His name is Jesus