Embracing (not necessarily
understanding) Sovereignty
By Susan Klein
“Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens
whom he wants to harden.”
Romans 9:18 (NIV)
Every once in awhile
a verse comes along that just baffles the mind. (The above being a likely
candidate.) It seems to contradict everything we know, and challenge our
rational thinking. Therein lies the problem: God is not rational. God is
sovereign.
“Sovereignty” is a
concept that’s difficult for the finite mind to process. In fact, it’s not a
word originally found in Scripture. You won’t see it listed in Strong’s
Exhaustive Concordance. It’s been inserted in newer versions of the Bible for
our purposed benefit. It is a word that tries to encapsulate all the infinite
qualities of God (isn’t that an oxymoron?). John MacArthur defines it this way:
“God orders everything, controls everything, and rules over everything.” (1) Scripture says, “Our God is in Heaven; he does
whatever pleases him (Psalm 115:3, NIV), The Lord does whatever pleases him, in
the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths (Psalm 135:6,
NIV).” It is a concept the human mind can’t wrap around and the human heart
despises. We want everything to be black and white, to make sense. We also want
to think we have some iota of control. Thus, the dilemma: we are not sovereign.
The more we try to
understand sovereignty, the more confusing it can become. Did God choose me, or
did I choose Him? Does it really matter if I evangelize? Does God care what
color socks I put on today? Will my moving to another state or changing jobs be
in His sovereign will? Words like “foreknew,” and “predestined” are the source
of much confusion and heated debate amongst believers. So what do we do about
this “sovereignty” thing?
I suggest we
“embrace” it. If God truly is in control of everything, shouldn’t that be more comforting
than baffling? It really lets me off the hook - - I don’t have to have all the
answers. If I can embrace His sovereignty, it should eliminate a world of
worry. If I walk in faith that He’s got my back, I can walk confidently into
every situation, known or unknown. If He’s in control of every outcome, I should
never suffer through another sleepless night wondering. Instead of trying to
wrestle the control away from Him, I can choose to embrace His sovereignty and
live a life of peace. Peace is good.
GOING
DEEPER:
1. Are you wrestling with a passage or a Scriptural concept?
2. Do you question
the validity of Scripture that appears contradictory? Surrender to God, and
embrace His sovereignty.
Susan
is married to Mark, and has two adult children. She enjoys teaching Bible
studies, writing, and tutoring with the Literacy Council. She is a member of
the Peace Team at Oakwood and also co-leads an on-site small group.
