God’s Sovereignty

“Whatever the Lord pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places.” Psalm 135:6

God’s sovereignty . . . the concept is scary sometimes, but only because it’s so not like us.

In our need for control, we prefer a God we can manage. We like to reduce Him to some heavenly pal or celestial bellboy. We use the Lord like a rabbit’s foot—just whip Him out for a little rub every time we have a problem. Am I right? In some twisted way we think we’re more secure when we’ve got God figured out. Sovereignty says, no way! There’s no way you’re going to figure out God. He’s more than we might dare to imagine.

. . . And that’s the way it needs to be. Can you imagine how small God would be if we could comprehend all that He allows and why? What if the smartest, wisest of all men ran the universe? Can you imagine the cosmic mess we’d be in? It only makes sense that mystery surrounds God’s person and His ways.

God’s sovereign will can be defined like this: God’s secret plan which controls the outcome of all matters in the universe. Not the decisions, not the way people go about it, but He controls the outcomes. His sovereign will determines the results of wars and elections, even weather patterns and economic trends, down to things as specific as the throw of a dice.

Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord. Like rivers of water He turns it wherever He wishes.” God causes the outcome of every decision that every president, every king, every mayor makes to align with His sovereignty. This is solid ground on which to stand when governments rise and fall. He is moving behind our vision “to work all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 11:1). No one resists His will (Romans 9:19). No one can restrain His hand. No one has ever kept God from doing what He wanted to do or even slowed Him down. The whole universe revolves around Him, and everything He wants to have happen happens. He has a plan which man can’t see and that nothing can thwart.

That’s the work of a sovereign God over His universe. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things” (Romans 11:36).

On a personal level, we can find incredible comfort by embracing what in His sovereignty God chooses to allow in our lives, even when it is most difficult. He wants His children to know Him through all the experiences of life now, and someday in the fullness of joy that only eternity can reveal.

Someday we will stand with saints from every age of history and worship God for who He is—the righteous Ruler, the Sovereign Lord. In that day we will overflow with joy at the infinite wisdom and unmeasureable splendor of all that God chose to do in our lives and in the universe.

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

Want to know more about God’s will for your life? Tune in Wednesday and Thursday this week for the entire message, “Does God Have a Will for Me?” or go to the online store to order the entire series, “The Way of Wisdom.”