Sovereign

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31 ESV)

It is truly awe-inspiring to contemplate that even the life of a sparrow is determined by God. God's sovereignty is absolute; he governs all. He even employs evil for His divine purposes. God does not create evil; He is not a sinner but ordains and utilizes it.

Why does God ordain evil? Paul explains it pretty well in Romans 9:22-23 where he writes: “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory.” God ordains evil to reveal his power, wrath, mercy, and grace. He ordains it or okays and uses it to reveal Himself. God is patient with us despite the self-destruction of sin in our lives, and He has prepared mercy for us.

Satan asked God to sift Peter like wheat. God said yes, and Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail. God offered Job to Satan, knowing Job was righteous and would glorify God before the hand of Satan. In both cases, God did not create the trials of Peter and Job but ordained the evil that would be perpetrated against them for His glory. But that is not fair, right? We suffer so God can be glorified. Yes, and it is fair.

First, God owes us nothing; we are indebted to God. We owe Him everything we are and everything He has bestowed upon us. Second, we understand that the life of a Christian is not a smooth journey. Christ Himself instructed us, "You must pick up your cross and follow me." We cannot be transformed into the likeness of God without enduring suffering.

I think Jonathan Edwards summed it up nicely when he wrote, “It is proper that the shining forth of God’s glory should be complete; that is, that all parts of his glory should shine forth, that every beauty should be proportionably radiant, that the beholder might have a proper notion of God.”

God is sovereign and has ordained all things that will come to pass, good and bad. So, what can we do? We follow scripture. The writer of Hebrews tells us what we are to do,  “equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.” (Hebrews 13:21) We stay faithful and trust in the Lord knowing full well we have assurances in our salvation.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, do not wait any longer. Open your heart to the Lord and accept Him in faith as your savior. Your eternity depends on it.

Grace and Peace!