God’s Sovereignty
God’s Sovereignty
Human demand for an explanation of God’s ways is understandable, but he’s not obliged to answer. Consider Job who trusted in God, yet lost his family, his health and business, his friends and reputation. He asked God many questions about his problems—nearly the entire book of Job is devoted to his inquiries of God. Not until chapter 38 does God speak, and then, from the midst of a storm. It is all designed to teach Job a fundamental lesson: that God is other than we are. God’s first words are a little combative: “Brace yourself like a man” (Job 38:3). Job is being summoned to wrestle with God! But this match is not a meeting of equals! The very first question is enough to bring Job to the floor in submission: “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” (Job 38:4).
God wants Job to acknowledge his sovereignty. That is the issue at stake in Job’s trials. Will Job submit to God’s majesty or will he not? Thomas Brooks defines providence this way: “It is the unceasing activity of the sovereign Creator whereby, he upholds His creatures in orderly existence, guides and governs all events, circumstances and free acts of men and angels, no matter how great or trivial. All of this is done to accomplish one great design: to give glory to Himself.”
Joni Eareckson Tada, the founder and chief executive officer of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, is an international advocate for people with disabilities. A diving accident in 1967 left Joni Eareckson, then 17, a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. After two years of rehabilitation, she emerged with new skills and a fresh determination to help others in similar situations. She founded Joni and Friends in 1979 to provide Christ-centered programs to special needs families, as well as training to churches. Through the organization’s Christian Institute on Disability, Joni and her team have helped develop disability ministry courses of study in major Christian universities and seminaries. Visit us at www.joniandfriends.org.