Sunday, March 2, 2014

God Is Sovereign

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:28


God has made His plans, and nothing--neither people nor circumstances--can prevent His plans from coming to pass.
God is called "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," not "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Esau."  Before the twin boys were born, God stated His intention that the older, Esau, would serve the younger, Jacob.  In spite of Isaac's determination to pass along the blessing and family position which the eldest son usually inherited to his son Esau, Jacob actually received the blessing and headship of the family.  Before Jacob left home, Isaac specifically passed along the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob as well, in another blessing, saying, Genesis 28:3-4,  "May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.  May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land God gave to Abraham."
Jacob fled to the land of his mother's relatives to escape the anger of his brother.  He had been lovingly cared for by wealthy parents, but now he was on his own in a strange land.  He must have been lonely and frightened.  But God came to him in a dream at his time of great need and reassured him not only that He would be with him but that Jacob was in the line of God's promises to Abraham.  James Montgomery Boice writes,  "This was a great promise because it demonstrates that however badly we may have acted in the past--and however ashamed we may be by it--God is always able to begin with us where we are and use us as a channel for blessing in the lives of others."
Neither Isaac's determination nor Rebekah's devious scheme nor Jacob's deception nor Esau's hatred of his brother could derail God's plans for His chosen people, the Israelites.  And nothing and nobody can change any of the plans God has in mind.  God can take sinful behavior and adverse circumstances and weave them into His perfect will.  Our God is sovereign.  We can trust that He is always totally in charge.

Father, thank You that we can know You are in charge of all the circumstances of life, and Your plans will prevail.  Thank You for working all circumstances for our good if we love and obey You.  Amen.

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