God is Sovereign
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30, ESV)
Pastor Abel’s sermon on this passage is titled, “Nothing is Wasted”.
Today, as my sons and I climbed into our 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe and I turned the key, I heard it; the sound of a dead battery as the car failed to start.
Immediately I felt frustrated as thoughts began to pop up like text notifications in my head. I guess we are missing church today. I will need to figure out how to get the kids to school tomorrow. When will I have time to fix the car? I also need to go get cereal… and on and on.
At that moment, my son Caleb spoke up and said, “Well, God has a reason for everything.”
It was the very truth that Paul spoke of in Romans 8:28, and it is often the truth that we fail to remember in circumstances like the one we faced this morning.
God is sovereign.
When things don’t go according to plan, we must remember that our plans are not the ones governing the universe. There is someone much greater and wiser than us who has a perfect plan. And no matter what happens, his plan is always working toward the highest possible good.
For Further Study
- Reflect: Ephesians 1:11, Matthew 10:29-31, Colossians 1:16-17, Isaiah 45:7-9
- Read or listen to John Piper discuss the sovereignty of God here.
Small Group Questions
- What is a moment from this last week that things didn’t go your way? How does the truth of this passage change the way we experience moments like that?
- How has the truth that God has a purpose and a plan in everything comforted you in your life?
- What can we do to let go of the need to control our own lives, and be open to following God’s plan?
- What is the ultimate “good” that all things are working together to? Why is this often different from what we think is the ultimate good?