Just How Sovereign is He?

 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8: 28

When someone remarks that they were 'lucky' in a certain circumstance, when someone
sites Karma to explain a situation, when a person mentions 'fate' as a reason why a certain outcome occurs, they are, in essence, saying that God is not sovereign. Sovereignty is one of the many attributes we discuss when trying our best to understand an entity totally unlike ourselves. In God's case, sovereignty means control over all that He has created. He holds together the creation He produced ex nihilo, from nothing.

R. C. Sproul, and I am paraphrasing here, says that if there is one rogue molecule in the universe, God is not sovereign. That's a pretty good way of describing His total awareness and active participation in the events that occur in our space-time continuum. As one clever person quoted, 'Did it occur to you that nothing occurs to God.' No surprises, no do-overs, no alternative measures needed; God is in control, period.

Now some people like to play around with this sovereignty idea. They suggest that God is truly sovereign over the big things but that the small everyday occurrences are not always within His awareness. The whole 'free-will' thing gets tossed into the ring as if God waits for His creatures to move in a certain direction and then, like a chess game, moves accordingly.
I believe that partial sovereignty is an oxymoron when applied to God.

So, and I know you've heard this, how can a sovereign God be in control of a world where horrific things happen. How can a good God allows for bad things? Would we say that God really isn't in control of the bad things that happen? Then He would not truly be sovereign. The first things we sometimes fail to realize is that we aren't at an intellectual level needed to understand God. In fact, in almost any case, He is operating where we cannot mentally go as far as understanding. Many of the 'bad' things that happen probably happen for the overall good in God's plan. I believe that's what Romans 8:28 is saying to us. He, God, is in charge. His promises and goals will be honored and fulfilled. 

Did He promise us a life without sadness and strife, without pain and struggles, without tears and loss, no. What He has promised, through the Gospel of the Cross, is a world to come for those who would believe upon His son, where all will be good without sin, a world of righteousness, peace and rest. How does one 'sign up' for such a place to come? At the moment when you begin to consider accepting Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord, God has already begun the process of drawing you in. All you have to do is surrender and accept!

Praise our Sovereign God!