“Have you ever watched a movie and thought… “Wait a minute? That’s not supposed to happen!”
I feel that way after reading 1 Kings chapter 13. The chapter starts off well. There’s a clear good guy and bad guy. The good guy confronts the bad guy. And the bad guy seems to change his ways, while the good guy seems to win, staying true to his cause.
But then, everything changes. One good guy deceives the other good guy. A good guy walks away from his code of honor and gets killed. And the original bad guy continues to be just as evil as he ever was!
What kind of movie is this?!
Unfortunately, it’s not a movie. It’s real life. We want:
- Things in life to be clear cut, with a predictable plot.
- The good guy to always win.
- The husband and wife to get back together.
- Children to stay pure and innocent.
- The cancer to be cured.
- Hard workers to be rewarded.
And there are times when things work out the way we want. But there are other times when the plot changes and the outcomes just feel wrong.
But know this…the plot does not control the movie. The Writer/Director does. And in the end, it is what He wants that will prevail.
Throughout 1 Kings chapter 13, God is still writing and directing, no matter how twisted the plot may seem to be. (see 1 Kings 13:1,4-5,21-22,24,28,34.)
Even though the plot may appear twisted and unjust at times, the Director still controls the plot. And His plans for us are always good (Jeremiah 29:11). (Note: Jeremiah 29:11 was given to the Jews, even though they had been defeated, deported, and taken as slaves in a strange land for 70 years. How’s that for a twisted plot.)
There is a Writer/Director Who loves us unconditionally. He is in control of the plot, and He will ultimately make things right, in His time. (Proverbs. 3:5)