I had an interesting insight on the sovereignty of God recently.
I used to have big problems with God’s sovereignty in my life, because it seemed like it was God’s sovereignty that allowed me to be abused. And it used to make me SOOO ANGRY, because it felt like God wanted me to be abused, and it felt like cosmic child abuse.
I went through a whole seven-year period where I was enraged at God because of that, until I finally realized I was barking up the wrong tree ~ I was asking the wrong questions. I should have been asking who, what, and where questions instead of why questions. And once I started asking the right questions I actually got answers. God showed me where He was while I was being abused ~ which was all I really wanted to know in the first place.
But I realized recently that when someone is demanding that God explain Himself about something He’s done in that person’s life, what they’re really saying is, “How dare You play god with my life!” That made me laugh when I thought about it. How dare God play god with someone’s life? He IS God! He isn’t playing god, He’s BEING God! There’s a significant difference. The Apostle Paul says in Romans,
But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? ~ Romans 9: 20-21, ESV.
It seems to me Paul is saying here that God, because He is the Creator, has the right to do whatever He wants with the people He creates, and while those people can ask questions of Him, and pray for answers, they don’t have the right to demand explanations for His decisions.
You wouldn’t like it if your son demanded to know why you were taking him to the doctor’s office if his ear hurt, and then refused to go because he didn’t like the prick of needle from the shot. You would know why you were doing it ~ because the kid has an ear infection that needs to be healed, and if the doctor doesn’t give him an injection he could go deaf, or even die if it gets bad enough. You can see the big picture. You can see the end result, whereas the child can’t. The same holds true for God. The Bible says,
Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. ~ Isaiah 46:10, NLT.
I like the way the NIV says it as well,
I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ ~ Isaiah 46:10, NIV.
What that says to me is that God knew everything that would ever happen to me before I was ever a thought in anyone’s mind. He knew every decision I would make, and every thought I would think. He also knew every decision He would make about me. The Bible also says He knows the day I’m going to die, something I find quite comforting.
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. ~ Psalm 139:16, NIV.
The reason I find that comforting is because now that I know that, it’s something I don’t have to worry about anymore. It’s God’s problem, not mine. All I have to do is go through my days doing my best to glorify God in all I do, basing my life on His Word, and God will take care of the rest.
Such a deal!
God's Not Through With Me Yet 
I’m seeing if comments can be left by people who read my blog. Plus I like this entry that I just posted. That’s it. I just want to see if this works. Hehehe!!
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Hi Sarah,
What you wrote starts this painting in my head beginning with the first words from Genesis: In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth. the Earth was formless, empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep. The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said ‘Let there be light’ and there was light.
And then like little children sticking our fingers in our mother’s cake frosting, humanity mucks everything up. We keep taking the beautiful swirls and turning them into gauges.
Only now the picture turns into a big muddy mess and we are covered in the filth and the splatter of a huge mud slinging, swamp draining, sinkhole of life.
Then in our arrogance we turn around to our Father and demand to know why we are dirty? Why did you let us get so messy? And sometimes there is a poor kid buried up to their eyeballs in mud, because someone else thought they had the right to try and drown this person in the mud. The mud we made.
But then we get to read read what you wrote and put together, Where was God?
He was hanging on a tree, trying to get our attention. He stepped out of eternity to be with us forever. His hand reaching out to us pulling us out of the pit of mud and despair. Miraculously as we are drawn closer the Spirit is washing us clean, as Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. We are escaping the pit of this life and tasting the life God has designed for us, now and in the future. Sarah, your survival in the world and your love of God is a testimony to this work. I can only imagine how proud God is of you.
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I love your word-pictures, Kim, especially the one where we’re covered in filthy mud up to our eyeballs in (I love how you described it) a huge mud-slinging, swamp-draining, sinkhole of life. And we turn around in our arrogance and demand of God why He let us get so dirty? We got dirty all on our own, without any help from God.
Human beings are so good at projecting blame onto others, aren’t they? Passing the buck started with Adam and Eve (it wasn’t my fault, God, it was that wife you gave me. It wasn’t my fault, God, it was that serpent…)
Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for reading and commenting. And your comment at the end was especially sweet. I can only hope that’s true, and I love you for saying it. It’s always been my fondest desire that I would please God.
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