Submitted by David Miller
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am
your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my
righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
There are many
misconceptions about God. Some believe
He is a person to call upon only in times of trouble, some believe He is a
wrathful God waiting to hail lightning down on all of us each time we sin. There are some who believe that He can be
treated like a genie in a lamp, just rub the bottle, He will appear and grant
you three wishes.
God has revealed His character in Scripture,
illuminating the attributes that define Him. Since we, being finite creatures,
can never truly comprehend everything that God is, our starting point should be
studying what God has said about Himself.
When we speak of God's attributes, we are
talking about those characteristics that help us to understand His nature. The
list is long because He is the “Great I Am,” but the one I keep being drawn to
is His sovereignty.
The sovereignty of God teaches us that all
things are under God's rule and control, and that nothing happens without His
direction or permission. God works not just some things, but all things
according to the counsel of His own will. His purposes are all-inclusive and
never thwarted; nothing takes Him by surprise. The sovereignty of God doesn’t
just mean He has the power and right to govern all things, but that He does
govern all things, at all times and without exception. In other words, God is
not merely sovereign in principle, but sovereign in practice.
God’s sovereignty is simply to say, “God is
in control.” There is absolutely nothing that happens in the universe that is
outside of God’s influence and authority. As King of kings and Lord of lords,
God has no limitations and by His grace, I am what I am. He is in control of
all things in all places and this same sovereign God lives in our hearts.
When our confidence is in the sovereignty of
God, we will not panic when we face tough circumstances. Paul trusted the
sovereign hand of God and he learned to be content in the ups and in the downs,
in the abundance and in the lack, in sickness and in health, in the courts of
the kings and in the dungeons and the prisons. Paul recognized God as the
source of his strength: “I can do everything through him
who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).
God will also provide for us and strengthen
us as we seek to follow Him in faithful obedience: We can find peace in the
fact that He is sovereign regardless of what is going on in our lives and that
He will meet us at the point of our need.
“And my God will meet all your needs
according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Scripture to Claim:
“O Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in
the day of battle” (Psalm 140:7).
