Like my most recent blog concerning God’s infinitude, when I look
at the sovereignty of God, this attribute can be just as mind boggling. God rules the universe with total control and supreme power. He is free from anything or anyone externally exerting control over Him. He is free to do what He knows is best at all times. For some of us, this is a hard concept to grasp. We believe we are in control. In some way this is true. We do have a volitional will that God has granted us to make choices, and God holds us responsible for our choices. But make no mistake about it. God is in control of everything that happens. Many times in our lives we suffer, and when we do, we can often think poorly about God’s decision-making. When we look around at the world, we see tremendous devastation every day. It seems like mass chaos at times. Just looking at the news headlines, we see world leaders come and go daily, we see billions in poverty, and we see relationships torn apart for no apparent reason. After seeing these things, you would tend to conclude that God is good sometimes and He is cruel other times. As Christians, our words can sound shallow when we simply say that God is sovereign; this is all for the best. But in all reality, that is so true. As humans, we want a God that is manageable, but that is simply not our call. God does not need our permission for anything. We cannot ever fully explain this with our human thinking, but scripture is very clear. Isaiah 45:6-7 says this: That people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord and there is no other. I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and I create calamity; I am the Lord who does all things. The Lord has put all the evidence out there for us to see and know that He rules over all things. In this scripture, we see the nation of Israel that is questioning God’s plan for them, and God has sent the prophet Isaiah to set them straight. As we look at verse 7, it is hard for us to see that an all-powerful God who no doubt loves us does not keep us from suffering. As a matter of fact, not only does He not keep us from it, He creates it! Ugh, what a proverbial punch in the gut. That fact is so difficult for us as Christ followers to understand. I know that I often feel as if I have to defend God when bad things happen. This is where I remember the words of R.C. Sproul when he says, “God does not need me.” And He definitely does not need me to defend Him. The mystery for us is that God has created a world in which we have the ability to choose. For example, in Joshua 24:15, Joshua calls upon Israel to choose this day whom you will serve. Yet we have an Adonai Yahweh that has unlimited control over the universe. The only answer I can come up with is the answer that scripture gives. Romans 8:28 says, And we know that all things work for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. I trust that when difficulty comes, I will come out more like my Savior Jesus Christ if I am willing to face these troubles in submission to my sovereign Lord.
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Corey WilsonCorey is the Director of Outreach & Discipleship. Find out more about Corey! Archives
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