The Sovereignty of God

 Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps. 

(rf. Ps. 135:6 MEV)

 

            One of the key foundations of the Reformed faith on which our church was founded is the sovereignty of God. When most Christians think of the term, “sovereignty of God”, they believe that it is just the testimony of God being “King of kings”, of exercising His authority and rule. All of this is true, no doubt, but more is attached to the truth of His Kingship.

            Virtually, all Christians would agree that God is the sovereign ruler of the universe, affirming what the psalmist says above that He is ruler over all “heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps”. However, many followers of Christ fail to uphold or believe that His authority and sovereignty extends over all people as well, including themselves.

            We somehow have bought into a theology that places boundaries around ourselves, our minds, hearts and wills, wherein God cannot rule over us unless we sovereignly allow Him to do so. We have created this theological view to preserve what we wrongly believe is our own “freedom of the will”, that we are the “captains of our souls”. This is truly a false and foolish narrative, not to mention an unbiblical one. 

            The only way that God is truly God is if He is God over all of His creation, including all of humankind. He is in control of all things or He is in control of nothing. An Almighty and all sovereign Lord who is limited in His ability to rule is no god that any of us want to serve. Such a god is powerless to deliver on the promises He has made because He does not have the wherewithal to make those promises a reality.

            Rather, we love, serve and believe in the God of the psalmist and the Scriptures who does “whatever He pleases…in heaven and in earth” because He is in total control over all things, including us and our wills. Only by being such a God can we know that the salvation that He has promised us is real, that He has the power to answer our prayers rightly according to His will, and that He is truly worthy of our loyalty, devotion and faith. 

            So, if we have not yet recognized His authority over our lives and futures, today is the day to do so. Only with a heart and life fully surrendered to His Lordship can we ever hope to experience the “abundant” life that He promises to those under His dominion and trust.