An attribute is a quality or characteristic for which a person is known. We're going to explore several attributes of God over the next few weeks. I'm glad you're joining us!
The sovereignty of God is a concept we in the Western World have difficulty understanding and accepting, especially in America. Some nations have monarchs who rule with sovereignty, but in America we treasure our independence, both as a nation and as individuals. We don’t like thinking anyone other than us is in charge of us.
We kinda sound like toddlers, “You’re not the boss of me!”
Except, in every instance, God truly is the Boss… of you, me, and everything. He is the supreme and permanent authority. He is completely autonomous in that there is nothing and no one who rules over Him. Ever. Never has, never will.
There is nothing that has ever happened that happened outside of God’s influence. Isaiah was led to write these words from God, “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.”
Now see, you’re already bowing up about that “I send good times and bad times,” aren’t you? We don’t like to think that God would ever send bad times to anyone, but when we read the scriptures, we know He did. He sent the flood that rose over 29,000 feet above sea level to cleanse the earth of the corruption that had grown so rampant in humankind. (Yes, that much water, because the Book says it covered all the peaks and Everest is over 29,000 feet in height.)
God sent Adam and Eve out of Eden because of their choice to rebel against Him, cursing them to a life of labor and toil.
God sent Jesus for the express purpose of enduring ridicule, rejection, torture, and death.
Every time God has sent “bad,” it has been for good. I know, that seems a ridiculous concept, but it’s true. Paul wrote about it. God works all things together for the good of His people. The thing is, we don’t have a clue what’s good. We look at our lives and maybe at the lives of those around us, but we can’t comprehend the truth about all the people everywhere all the time since time began and until eternity.
God has a plan and a purpose that He has been and will continue to work out throughout eternity. He will work out that plan as He sees fit, whether we like it or not, whether we think it good or not. That’s His right as Sovereign.
We need to avoid getting caught up in all the things God says we can’t do like Adam and Eve did. That’s a ploy of the enemy to point to those. We are able to (and must choose to) focus on who God is and what He has done in and for us. We must admit that God knows what’s best and is working out His purposes for our good and His glory. Sometimes that means bad things happen. Do we understand that? Nope. Do we need to understand that? Not really. We’re to live by faith and walk by faith. We can trust that God is God and will always be God, Sovereign over all.
Let’s say it together, “God, You are the boss of me!”
Coffee, Bible, Journal
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