Day 21: The Sovereignty of God

Attending the funeral of a friend’s father, I heard the song  “Sovereign Over Us” for the first time and tears began to stream down my face. 

Your plans are still to prosper, You have not forgotten us.
You’re with us in the fire and the flood.
You’re faithful forever, perfect in love, You are sovereign over us.

The truth of these words landed on my weary, numb and struggling heart during year 10 of my own father’s cancer diagnosis. I couldn’t grab my phone fast enough to text my mom and sister to share.

Sovereignty is defined as supreme power or authority. To say that God is sovereign is to acknowledge that nothing can be higher than Him. He is over all and has ultimate authority over everything. As believers, this is a great source of comfort to us. No matter what happens, God is still in control and still God. He is not surprised or caught off guard by anything. No matter how blindsided we are by the evil that surrounds us, He remains calmly and firmly on His throne. 

A.W. Tozer starts this chapter with the reminder that “to be sovereign God must be all-knowing, all-powerful, and absolutely free.” He continues, “Were there even one datum of knowledge, however small, unknown to God, His rule would break down at that point.”

The word sovereign is found three times in the New Testament and all three times, it is used in titles for God: Sovereign Lord (Acts 4:24 and Revelation 6:10) and blessed and only Sovereign (1 Timothy 6:15).

When I think of God’s sovereignty, I am in awe of the details He oversees and it both blows my finite mind and strengthens my weak heart to rest in the expanse of His authority.

Prayer:

Who wouldst not fear Thee, O Lord God of Hosts, most high and most terrible? For Thou art Lord alone. Thou has made heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth and all things that are therein, and in Thy hand is the soul of every living thing. Thou sittest king upon the flood; yea, Thou sittest king forever. Thou art a great king over all the earth. Thou art clothed with strength; honor and majesty are before Thee. Amen.   – A.W. Tozer

Response:

When have you questioned or struggled to fully believe in God’s sovereignty? Read Jude 1 and put yourself in the narrative of believers who are encountering false teaching. Then notice verses 24-25 to see what truth is declared about God’s character. How does this convict and/or encourage you?

Where in your life do you need to rest in God’s sovereignty right now? What is holding you back? Take this to the Lord in prayer and ask Him for the courage and faith to believe His sovereignty for your specific situation.