Written by Dawn Rutan
Two recent articles about God’s sovereignty on the Desiring God blog have caught my attention. In http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-doctrine-of-election-saved-me-from-depression, Jimmy Needham comments about a funeral he attended:
“At the funeral, the officiating pastor offered these chilling words for her family and friends: ‘That truck driver robbed this woman of the long life that God intended for her to live.’ The pastor meant to comfort them, but that commentary is anything but comforting. What a nightmare to think that the plans and purposes of God can be undermined by any careless, distracted trucker at a busy intersection.”
There are many times when God’s sovereignty is called into question, and death is just one of them. From the public arena such as political elections, court verdicts, and legal decisions, to personal choices like medical procedures, career moves, and childrearing, it often seems like mankind has the power to override God’s will. I certainly don’t have all the answers to explain God’s sovereignty and mans’ freewill, but I have to believe that God is always in control or He wouldn’t be God. Many Scriptures affirm God’s sovereignty, and here are a few:
- “Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?” (Lamentations 3:37 ESV).
- “[Nothing] in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
- “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1).
- “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:16).
- “My times are in Your hand…” (Psalm 31:15).
- “Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him” (Psalm 49:16-17).
- “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and He does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Daniel 4:35).
In http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/theology-that-comforts-the-weary-soul, Christina Fox writes:
“The doctrine of God’s sovereignty brings us great comfort in the trials and sufferings of this life. When we are knocked on our feet by an unexpected trial, we can turn to these truths to remind ourselves that nothing happens outside of God’s sovereign control. When life feels as though everything is uncertain and in chaos, we can tell ourselves, ‘God is not surprised by this.’ It is a reminder that though the trial we are facing is a complete surprise to us, it isn’t a surprise to God. He is never asleep or caught unawares. He is never at a loss wondering what to do. He doesn’t fret or worry over what’s happening.”
God is in control of whatever situations are causing you anxiety right now. I’ve had to be reminded of that multiple times just this week, so I’m sure others are in the same boat. He’s got this.
“Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?” (Luke 12:25-26).
© 2016 Dawn Rutan. The views stated may or may not reflect the beliefs of the pastor or leadership of Dulin’s Grove Church.
