Tag: god’s sovereignty

Colossians 1:15-23

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            Jesus is King; and, we are not.  A simple statement; yet, not easily engrafted into life.  The original sin of Adam and Even was rebellion – to break the bonds of loving authority that God provided for them.  We (especially us Americans) have this nasty anti-authoritarian strain that runs rather deep in us.  As a child, when my middle daughter was grappling with the implications of faith in Christ, she once blurted out an honest cry that we all can resonate with: “I just don’t want another person in my life telling me what to do!”  Indeed, Jesus is King; we are not.
 
            The New Testament lesson for today is rich with the pre-eminence and lordship of Jesus Christ.  By Jesus all things were created through him and for him.  Everything in all creation is held together by Jesus.  He is the head of the church.  In Jesus complete divinity exists and reigns.  Jesus made peace through the cross because he had the authority and the qualifications to do so.  Broken relationships and proper lines of authority are now restored and redeemed in Christ.
 
            We all can relate to indulging an illusion that we are in control and dictate the course of our lives.  But Jesus is Sovereign, and this is a good thing.  It is good because only in Christ can we find reconciliation and purity of life.  A healthy practice for Christians is to kneel.  I realize some Christian traditions do it as a part of their worship, and some do not.  Yet, bowing, even prostrating oneself (if you are physically able!) can be a powerful symbol of the heart’s desire and disposition to submit to the lordship and authority of Jesus Christ.  Crawling out of bed in the morning onto one’s knees and beginning the day looking to live into the will of God, and ending the day in the same manner, are a practical means of remembering who Jesus is and who we are.
            Sovereign God, in your mercy you have sent your Son, the Lord Jesus, who has brought reconciliation to a once broken relationship.  I bow before you in obedience, submission, and worship.  Let me live a cross-shaped life through enjoying the peace you have given me in Christ.  Amen.

Psalm 102:12-28

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            I grew up on an Iowa farm.  In the winter, after a big snow, my Dad would get out the tractor and plow the long driveway.  At the end of the snow push would always be a huge snow pile.  That was my brother’s and my cue to spend the twenty minutes bundling up to go outside and play King of the Hill.  Since I was the little brother, I rarely was king.  But when cousins were around I had my chance to be king for a day, or at least a few minutes.
 
            The theological truth and comfort of this psalm is that God is enthroned forever; the LORD is the same and his years have no end.  God is permanently ensconced as Sovereign over all creation and nothing or no one is ever going to knock him off the high hill.
 
            In a world profoundly touched by evil, to know the God who does not change is an important reality.  The preface to the psalm says, “A prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the LORD.”  Indeed, he does this for the first eleven verses.  But then the psalm turns in verse twelve on looking up to the God who is always in control.  No matter where we go, God is there, and he forever sits on the throne of the universe. 
 
Therefore, we can put all our trust and hope in the LORD because he will never cease to be in charge.  Our perspective on the ground is puny and limited.  But God’s view from the top sees the big picture and knows all.  Rather than trying to be King of the Hill and spend the enormous energy of worry, let’s acknowledge the kingdom of God and pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
            Mighty God, you are sovereign over all your creation.  I place my faith in you completely, that your purposes and plans will be fleshed-out in my life to the glory of King Jesus.  Amen.

Psalm 96

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            It was the Dutch theologian and statesman, Abraham Kuyper, who famously said over one hundred years ago, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”  That sentiment perfectly expresses the vision of the psalmist concerning God’s rightful place over all creation.  “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name” is both the believer’s duty and delight.
 
            All of God’s good promises are ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  The New Testament focuses the praise to King Jesus, the great Sovereign over all.  It is in Christ that all creation finds both redemption and restoration. 
 
            As we move near to Christmas and the birth of the Christ child, the biblical witness testifies along with the psalmist that not just Israel will have a king – all kinds of people will come to believe and submit with joyful abandon to the Lord of the universe.  Since God reigns over every square inch of creation and our lives, he will continue to bring more and more people under the gracious and benevolent rule of Jesus.  This is to God’s glory, and our praise.
            Mighty God, your gracious rule extends to all the world.  May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven so that all creation shall rightly praise your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Prayer and Providence

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Exploring Church Ministry BlogLeave a comment

 

          Prayer – the very word itself sometimes evokes feelings of guilt that we don’t do it more.  The core and essence of church leadership is prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4).  Yet, prayer is often not at the center of ministry, being pushed to the margins by the rigors and demands of administrative tasks, meetings, and people problems.  We desire to pray, but don’t pray enough or as much as we want. Sometimes the issue is not that we don’t pray; the problem is that we don’t persevere in prayer. Instead of taking the legalistic route of exhorting you that you should stop being so lazy and get on your knees (not very inspiring, is it?), let’s consider God for a moment.

Our Triune God is the Creator of the universe. Everything is his, and he is sovereign over all. His relationship to his creatures is what we call “providence.” God’s providence means that he is intimately involved in the world he has made. The Lord sustains and governs all creation. We, as the apex of his creation, are totally and completely dependent upon him. All creation was pronounced “good” because it came from God, who himself is good. Events, then, that happen in God’s world are neither random and by chance, nor deterministic and by fate.

The providence of God is working to fulfill his good plans in the world. God is, therefore, concerned to use human prayers to accomplish that plan so that intercession is integral to God’s design, and not in contradiction to it. God is present and active in human lives. Question and answer 28 of the Heidelberg Catechism states, “How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us? We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing will separate us from his love. All creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will they can neither move nor be moved.”

Want to pray? Think about God, and be inspired to pray because of our great dependence upon him for everything, and since everything God does is good. Please join with me in prayer that God would save a whole bunch of people, and bring them into the life of the church. Even so, come Lord Jesus.