Worship Wednesday
He Is… SOVEREIGN
“Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission? Does not the Most High send both calamity and good?” Lamentations 3:37-38
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the sovereignty of God. Given the condition of our world-wide pandemic, and also the recent devastation our country is facing, it feels quite natural to wonder: “God, what are you doing in all of this?” And that’s what I’ve wrestled with over the past week. Is it okay for you and I to meet today in this very honest place of wondering? These types of questions aren’t wrong. In fact, there’ve been many times God has shown me incredible things through my wondering and question asking. So, let’s just go there together and ask the question - “How do we remain confident that God is in control, working in all things, and that He Is… SOVEREIGN?”
“Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” Ephesians 1:11
You know what’s challenging about this scripture? The last four words. God’s Word makes it clear to us in throughout scriptures that He is ALWAYS working and causing things to work out for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8:28). But “working all things out for our good” does not mean “working all things out for our plan”. GOD’S PLAN is what’s good. In fact, it is the BEST plan for us. And if this is true, then it seems like a good place for us to start today would be to pray for God to align our will with His will.
“Don’t copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2
This scripture gives us instructions for how we learn to know God’s will for our life. First, don’t copy the behaviors and customs of this world. This allows God to transform us into a new person, and THEN we will learn to know His will for us - which is actually the best way to live! His will is good and pleasing and perfect. If we want to align our hearts with God’s plan, we have to earnestly seek HIS way.
Reflecting on the journey that has brought us to trust Jesus also increases our faith in this regard. If I look back at the historical evidence that speaks for the character of my heavenly Father, I could give an endless account for His steadfast faithfulness throughout my life. And that’s just 30 years in! I’m gonna guess that I likely have another 50. And who knows what kind of stories I will have to share about God by that point! I have been blessed to witness first-hand God’s sovereignty working through every aspect of my life.
But I want to be very clear about something - God’s faithfulness and sovereignty in our lives is not grounded upon the evidence of “good things happening” or “things working out”. It is important we understand that God is sovereign BECAUSE HE SAYS HE IS. Otherwise, we give the authority to the evidence, rather than to the Creator. See what I’m saying?
When we choose to place our trust in this fact, that is when we begin to see a “Romans 12:2 transformation”. The challenge is that it is a choice. It is a choice we have to make when we don’t have a paycheck, when our friend loses a child, when uncalled for and bewildering devastation continues to revisit our country. Our confidence that He Is… SOVEREIGN is what brings us to our knees in worship and prayer. It allows our hearts to take on a posture of trust.
“I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things. Open up, O heavens, and pour out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together. I, the Lord, created them.” Isaiah 45:7-8
The key to understanding the sovereignty of God is to understand that absolutely everyone and everything was set into motion before the foundations of the earth for one purpose and one purpose only - to bring glory to God and fulfill His purposes.
“Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:4-5
“God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything under the authority of Christ - everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” Ephesians 1:9-11
Sometimes it’s difficult to trust in God’s plan for our lives. But I hope to remind you today that He has been working out His perfect plans for your life even before He made the world. That’s why He sent His son to die for our sins - because His plan is always to reconcile us back to Himself, because He Is… SOVEREIGN.
