Sunday Check-in With Dr. Stanley: He’s Got the Whole World

No matter what is happening in our world, we can live with peace and hope because our God is always in control.

Daniel 2:20-22

How many of us have listened to the news and wondered, What in the world is going on? Without a firm foundation of biblical truth, we can easily be overcome with fear and despair. Thankfully, though, Christians can find peace in the knowledge that our God is sovereign over every nation and ruler on earth. 

An omnipotent hand is orchestrating a good and glorious plan: the Lord is the one who “removes kings and establishes kings” (Dan. 2:20). Nothing that the Lord does is carried out in isolation. He’s working all things according to His divine plan. We tend to think that a ruler has to be righteous for God to use Him, but Proverbs 21:1 tells us that the Lord can direct the heart of any national leader wherever He wishes. In fact, He describes two pagan kings—Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus—as “My servant” (Jeremiah 25:9) and “My shepherd” (Isaiah 44:28). Unbeknownst to them, God guided their paths to fulfill His purposes for Israel. 

The Lord’s plans for this world are moving along according to His divine purposes, and no unrighteous ruler can thwart Him. Just remember, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.”