The Sovereignty Of God
God is sovereign simply because He is omniscient, omnipotent and
omnipresent. He has total power and full authority over the whole
universe that He has created. This includes all things and all
people of all nations in the earth.
Though God is sovereign, He allows mankind to have a free will.
Yes, making choices and decisions day by day in life.
Though God rules over the entire universe, He does not control
every action of mankind. A father does not control every action,
decision and movement of his children. God allows us to be and do
whatever we choose to do or be. But from time to time, He will step
in to control directly or indirectly if we get out of control or
overboard!
Amazingly, because God is sovereign, He is still in full control
no matter how tragic, bad and disastrous the situations or
circumstances or events have become! He is able to make all things
beautiful in His time! He is able to do what is impossible for men
to do!
God is all-powerful and all-knowing. Nothing occurs in the universe
without His knowledge. And nothing will happen in the universe
without His approval.
God has the power and knowledge to prevent anything He chooses to
prevent. Thus, things that happen must, at the very minimum least,
be permitted or allowed by God.
As we are given a free will to make choices, we will be held
personally responsible for our actions. If we choose to go against
Him and disobey Him, we will have to account for our sins and
wrongdoings.
When we do something wrong, it is not the doing of God.
He does not cause that to happen. It is simply our own misdeeds! But
when we do something wrong, God is still in control. He can help us
and deliver us. The choice is still ours. Will we allow Him to do so?
How, when or what God is going to do or act will fully depend upon
His wisdom, discretion and insight!
As we make choices in life, there will have consequences, whether
good or bad. Though God does not directly cause every single thing
or problem to happen, He does allow things to happen with His
knowledge even though He may not desire them to happen! Even if we
choose to go against His will, His will is going to be accomplished
eventually with or without us.
As God is sovereign, we can trust and obey what He says in the
Bible. God knows us. He knows who we truly are. Yet He chooses to
love us unconditionally. Not only that, He cares for us even though
we at times cannot see or appreciate what He is doing in our lives!
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those
who love God, to those who are the called according to His
purpose.
We know that in everything God works for the good of those who
love Him. His divine plan will be carried out by the people He has called.
The sovereignty of God will affect how we make decisions daily.
As God is in full control, we do not have to fear even if we make a wrong decision or choice sometimes. All is not lost. We can
trust in God’s faithfulness. He is able to get us back on the right
course if we return to Him and repent.
As God is sovereign, it does not mean that we should sit idly and
let things happen to us without our active participation or
intervention.
When facing life battles in our own lives, in our families, and
outside our homes, what do we do when we do not know what to do? We
need to call upon the Lord, knowing that He is sovereign. He is in
full control even when everything seems to be out of control. We can
still stand firmly in Christ even when things around us are falling
apart!
Abraham was a man with many problems. His wife was barren. He had
to go into Egypt so that his family could be fed in the midst of a
famine. And back in Bethel, quarreling arose between Abram’s herders
and his nephew Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living
in the land at that time. Inside and outside the home, Abraham faced
daily problems and difficulties.
But God chose Abraham. He blessed him so that he will be blessed to
be a blessing to others! Why did God choose Abraham?
Genesis 18:18-19
18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all
nations on earth will be blessed through him.
19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct
his children and his household after him to keep the way of
the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD
will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”
God had chosen Abraham because he was faithful to obey the LORD,
and he would teach his children and his descendants to live the way
the LORD wanted them to. God did this so that they would live
righteously and do justly. Then the Lord would give Abraham what He
had promised him.
Genesis 26:5
because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My
commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
Abraham was actively doing what pleased God! He was daily
teaching his children and grandchildren how to trust and obey God.
He knew God and obeyed Him. He delighted to do His commandments, and
love His laws! In doing so, He became a true blessing to the people
around him. His blessing flows to many generations even to this
present day!
As God is sovereign, we need not to have to worry about our
tomorrows. We need not have to fear as wars erupt in various places
in the world. We need not have to be afraid in times of natural
disasters, extreme persecutions and great tribulations!
As God is sovereign, we can trust in Him, knowing that He is truly
our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Our best hiding place is not a location but a Person. He is our
hiding place! And He is sovereign, having full control over all
situations! Thus, in Him we live and move and have our being!
Acts 17:28
for in Him we live and move and have our being, as
also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His
offspring.’
As He is sovereign, He knows. We must not only remember what He
had done for us in the past and what He is doing for us in the
present but also keep in view of what He is going to do for us in
the future.
As we do so, we will have hope because He is sovereign.
If interested, please view this song:
No Other Name
Written on:
20 November 2023