There are some things in the Scripture that are hard to get my arms around. These things in one sense are too wonderful to comprehend and on the other hand they are very difficult to fully comprehend. One of these is the concept of God’s sovereignty and providence. Let me say up front that I believe 100% in God’s sovereignty AND man’s freedom… AT THAT SAME TIME! I can’t make them fit together… I can’t even answer all my own questions, much less anyone else’s. But when I read the Scripture they are BOTH there!
Consider a few passages about God’s providence…
Galatians 1:15 But when He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by His grace, 16 was pleased to reveal His Son to me…
Luke 1:13 Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
Jeremiah 1:4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Romans 9:10 When Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of His call…
Since I know there is nothing in Scripture that can hurt me… AND since I know that God’s Word is absolute truth… AND since the best understanding of Scripture is whatever is the most plain IN Scripture, these passages present an element about God (And us) that is hard to fathom. On one level they make our brains overheat… on another level they bring great comfort, peace, and contentment.
I’m glad that events are not ultimately dependent upon me and all my foolish sinful stupidity. I’m glad that there are things that God is in control of beyond my ability to mess up. AT THE SAME TIME I am completely responsible for ALL my decisions. God NEVER makes anyone do anything they don’t want to do! Right about here my brain goes “redline!”
Question… What can God do? Question… WHY can He do it? {Answers: 1) Whatever He wants. 2) Becuase He is God.} Consider then that God is able to make a person do something they otherwise would NOT have done WITHOUT violating their free will! Yeah… it happened in Ezra 6:22…
For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.
Had God not changed the King’s attitude… he wouldn’t have assisted in building the Temple. The reason the people celebrated was that GOD filled them with joy. GOD did those things… without ever once making them do something they didn’t want to do! Do I fully understand that? No. Do I believe it? YES!
So what?! So that means I bow and worship God as one who is beyond my comprehension… beyond my ability to fully grasp… as One who is indeed KING… LORD… MASTER… and SAVIOR. Thus Isaiah 46:9-10 (READ IT!). Thus I trust Him in all things! Praise be to God…