Nothing is random. And it has been my greatest comfort this week. Our God is a God of both the details and the big picture, He is sovereign, His eye is on the sparrow, He has ordained all of our days, nothing comes to pass in our lives or in the world if He has not let it come through the hedge of His holy love.
Listening to Dr. Cummings the other night as he leaned on the chair in front of him, hands clasped together, an older man whose eyes have seen much more misfortune than my own and ears that have heard many more sorrows, I was reassured of this goodness and sovereignty of God. Nothing happens by chance—no meal with friends, no speeding ticket, no muttered word, no sickness, no phone call. God is exposing us, speaking to us, unfolding His great plans by way of tiny moments. He is not the author of brokenness and sin, but He holds all the universe in His hands as Creator and Sustainer, the Great Story Weaver, Lord of our hearts, Author and Perfecter of our faith.
In a blog post that I read this week, Tim Challies writes, “When you believe that God is sovereign, you must also see that there are no mundane, insignificant moments in life. Boaz had no idea that helping Ruth gather barley would lead to him fulfilling Naomi’s need for an heir. Every moment, every circumstance, is an opportunity to serve God, to declare your allegiance to him, to proclaim your trust in his promises. This is true when we work and worship, when we fellowship and commute and check email and eat dinner and go shopping and give birth and everything else that makes life what it is. We can’t choose the moments and the circumstances that God will use to unfold his plan. All we can do is be faithful with every moment he gives us. God is always there in the background, at work, on the move, even or maybe especially when we do not see him.”
Life begins when we latch onto this reality—every moment, our God is at work for our benefit and His glory, every moment He is looking to reveal more of Himself to us and to be glorified in our lives—all of our thoughts and speech and conduct and meals and money and minutes. The reality of His sovereignty is both exhilarating and comforting, because He gives us the privilege every minute to work alongside Him and by His Spirit to the praise of His glorious grace, but also because we're reassured that we cannot thwart His plans no matter how we fail. Praise Him!!
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