The Sovereignty Of God And You

From the October 2005 issue of Voice of the Valley, a publication of Valley Bible Church, by Pastor Frank Emrich. Reproduced here with permission.

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One of my goals for my vacation this year was to study the attributes of God. In doing so, I came across a definition of God's sovereignty that I really like. "The sovereignty of God is that which separates the God of the Bible from all other religions, truth claims, or philosophies. When we say that God is sovereign, we declare by virtue of His creatorship over all life and reality, His all-knowing, all-powerful, and benevolent rule, that He is in fact the LORD of all lords, and King of kings, and in absolute control of time and eternity. Nothing will come into my life today that He did not allow or decree for my ultimate good."

I believe that the above truth is illustrated for us in the amazing story of Joseph and his family in the book of Genesis. May I encourage you to spend some time reading it today beginning in Genesis 37? In this section we see Joseph rise from a prisoner in Pharaoh's dungeons to the second-in-command of all of Egypt.

How Joseph accomplishes all this is amazing. Yet, what is even clearer to the one with the eye of faith is that this is all the handiwork of God. God Himself orchestrated these events.

There were some things that needed to be cleared up between Joseph and his brothers and so God brings about the grand reunion between them. How? By sending a famine on the whole world! Yes, God brought a famine on Egypt and the rest of the world for a number of reasons, but one of them was to get Joseph's brothers down to Egypt so that Joseph could confront them and be reunited. Isn't it marvelous how God works?

As you read this amazing account you will see a great reconciliation between brothers who were enemies. You will read about how God used dreams to bring about His will, and you will read about how Joseph forgives his brothers and brings about this amazing union.

Ultimately, it was God Who brought about all these events. We are merely players in a grand plan that only He can orchestrate; but being part of that plan, and seeing it layed out in our lives, is the great joy of being a Christian. We can know that it will all work for good and for glory. Through it all the LORD was with Joseph and was taking care of him. He does the same with us. We can trust and believe that even when things turn out badly, somehow God is working in the midst of it.

Here is a prayer that I have been praying that has hlped to "cement" the truth of God's sovereignty into my thinking. You may want to make it your own:

Oh sovereign LORD, King of all creation, LORD of all that is visible and invisible for all time and eternity, grant that I might this day allow You to hold the same place in my heart that You hold in all the universe. Teach me to submit to Your wise counsel and command even as the angels of heaven do with joy and delight, to so fully believe that You are both good and sovereign, that I would refuse to worry, knowing You are working all things for my good today - even those things I don't understand and that seem so unfair. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

May God richly bless you as you rest in his sovereignty!