Yesterday it was encouraging to hear of the sovereignty of God. This has been one of the most absolutely foundational truths for peace in my life for me personally.
We heard the encouragement from Matthew 6, about not being anxious, and then we also read:
Daniel 4:35 "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, 'What have You done?' "
It's so encouraging to hear of the rest and peace that will come for us when we recognize one simple truth: God is sovereign.
God does what He wants. God allows what He wants. God stops what He wants. In the timing that He wants.
A QUESTION
I once heard someone ask a question: Imagine if Jesus was 17 years old, and He slipped on a banana peel, and He broke His neck and died... If that happened... would we still be saved?
I thought it was a really good question to think about, because it implies some really important things.
If Jesus slipped on a banana peel, hit His head and died, would we still be saved?
And the answer is no. We wouldn't be saved. God's whole plan for creation, and man, and salvation, and love would have failed since the Scriptures say that Jesus had to be hung on a tree (a cross). We would have no hope. God's eternal plan would have been totally ruined, our hope and future would have been ruined, and Scripture would have been broken. So what does that imply?
That means God couldn't let Jesus slip on a banana peel, or have any other serious accident, for everyday of His 33 years on earth. God had to control that. And then it also means something really encouraging: it means God is in charge of every banana peel that falls to the ground. And it also means: He's overseeing every step we take on earth, even if it "feels" like we are the ones taking the step and making the right or wrong choices (or if it "feels" like other people are the ones throwing the banana peels around!)
And it means He's in charge of every little thing that 'falls' into our life.
Praise God!
Psalm 37:23-24: “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.”
It means that God has put "guardrails" on each thing that comes in our path, and guardrails on all of our steps.
At times we do step in painful and dangerous things. It may be a nail. It may hurt. It may be a mistake on our part... But God is sovereign. He could have stopped it, but He didn't. His love allowed it.
That means we can be:
1. Full of faith. And 2. Free from anxiousness (for the future) and regret (regarding the past)
If God allowed it (or even if He allows it in the future) - I can rest. Because God is the One making the choices. God is the One putting the guardrails on every step I take, and every banana peel that falls in my direction. And He's perfect.