The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He pleases.
Things that grow need water. This is true of our houseplants, and it’s true of farm crops too. When we read the phrase “channels of water,” we might think of something like a river or the English Channel. But people in Bible times would’ve known them as irrigation canals. These are still in use on farms today, and they are completely under the farmer’s control, built to supply crops with water in dry seasons.
This is the image Proverbs 21:1 gives to describe God’s sovereignty over the lives of our world’s leaders. Whether they know God or not, they are subject to His direction, and He alone can move their hearts however He pleases.
But we struggle with things that are beyond our control; things that are outside of our understanding. We can’t comprehend how God could even direct someone’s heart. So we have a hard time believing He is in control at all times. Our senses tell us that if we can’t see Him moving, we can’t believe He is. And we’re inclined to be mad at God or hopeless if we don’t see Him working in the ways we want Him to.
Our God, as mighty and amazing as He is, does not answer to us; rather, Christ followers submit to Him. His plan is bigger than what we can see, and His goals are beyond what we can understand. Our call is to trust Him, and He is the One who does all the work that is evident and behind the scenes. We can pray for His will to be done; we can pray for our leaders to follow God’s direction; and we can rest in the hope that regardless of the outcome, God knows what He is doing and has not lost control over any matter or any heart.
- How often do you pray for our country and world’s leaders? What needs to change for you to do so and trust God with the result?
- What are some ways unexpected ways God has worked in the life of someone you know? Do you expect Him to do the same in your life? Why or why not?
- Pray for our country and world’s leaders to follow God’s direction.
