Amazingly, many believers will speak in one breath about "letting go and letting God", and in another breath say that they believe that God's purposes can be thwarted by human intervention or that through manipulatory prayer (my term for it -- some would say "pray the answer") God can be "moved" to do something other than what He has purposed will come to pass.

Rubbish!

Much of what passes as spirituality today needs to humble itself to the God of the Scriptures and conform to what He says about Himself. The passage above teaches us many things about God -- from the small details of life (calling a bird of prey from from the east) to the big details of life (calling a man of His purpose from a far country), God is emphatic in letting folks know it is His purpose (not "ours') that will stand.

In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches believers the manner in which to pray, one of those petitions being that we pray that God's will be done. Not "our will in the name and power of Jesus" as many erroneously pander to the spiritually immature, but that God's will first and foremost may be done.

This, of course, brings up the question of "if God's will will be done, why pray at all?". It is sufficient to know that the God of the universe is in control. Not just a "permissive" control where He allows things to happen and then works them for good, but an absolute sovereignty where every action from the falling of a sparrow from a tree to the number of the very hairs on our head (Matthew 10), our food and drink (Matthew 6), and the crucifixion of Christ (Acts 2:22-24), much more falls under His direct oversight and control. Did Satan destroy Job according to his will? No. He needed God's permission, and God gave him limits.

And we have this promise from Him: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28). Meditate today on the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise God who controls all of life and know that as a believer in His Son, all things in your life -- even the seemingly horrible loss of a loved one -- are planned for your ultimate good and His highest glory. And know that at the smallest level -- your life in particular -- God loves you, the believer, and has your life planned for good and not evil.

You may not understand it all now, but let your mind be shaped around these wonderful truths and rest in the comfort, peace and love of the Almighty as He works "all things according to the counsel of His will" (Ephesians 1). He is completely just in all His ways, even when they make no sense to us. Let us not detract from His glory by attributing to Him things which are contrary to Scripture.