 No Fear
So how are you feeling today? Are you anxious or nervous? As I write this, it is Thursday, and no official call has yet been made about who will win the presidential election. I know that all around us people are eager to know who won. I also realize that there are many on both sides who will feel as if the decision is illegitimate, if their candidate does not come out victorious. To be honest, I believe both sides are probably taking whatever means necessary both legal and corrupt, to secure their success. The candidates and campaigns are driven by multiple kinds of motivations such as ideology, ego, arrogance, genuine concern for the nation, and a host of other meaningful factors. These motivations extend to us as well, as voters and supporters. This means that most of us are not only invested in the political saga taking place before us as entertainment or intellectual curiosity, but also as an impactful and emotionally incredible event. On Monday, a friend and I were discussing these very issues. In the course of the conversation the relative scenarios were laid out and we each expounded upon our oh so highly informed theories. In reality, we had no idea what was going to happen and I can tell I still don’t. But as brothers in Christ the conversation shifted for us in a most marvelous direction. My friend made the statement that he wasn’t scared. Wow! I quickly added that I also did not have that same sense of overwhelming fear that I believe our world is currently catering to, whether in the area of health, finances, or politics. We were able to both affirm that based on the Scriptural teaching of the absolute sovereignty of God, we had no fear! Today, if you are feeling anxious and nervous I hope that you will find the sovereignty of God a refuge and respite for your weary soul. Sovereignty The concept of sovereignty is that of sole authority. The idea of national sovereignty is that a sovereign state is not under the jurisdiction of any other power or governance. We are not individually sovereign! We can’t be sovereign because there are many realms of authority that we fall under both in society and according to God’s word. This, however, does not mean that we are not responsible. The very realms of governance (state, church, family, etc.) that mean I am not sovereign, are the ones that God has ordained to hold me accountable. So no right thinking human will ever be able to live without fear based on their own autonomy or personal sovereignty. But my friend and I were freed from fear because we trusted in the sovereignty of God. He is not under any outside authority or subject to any jurisdiction. The whole creation is His and He rules and reigns. This means that for every who trusts Him there is no reason for us to fear at all. I know that many people look to what they call God’s sovereignty as a reason for confidence, but often they assume that God will make things happen the way they want. These people might say that they are not concerned about the election because God is sovereign, so they believe He will cause their candidate to win. However, this is not the confidence I am talking about at all. Rather, I mean that we can be truly free from fear when we trust God even if the other guy wins, the family member dies, the job is lost, the foreclosure is executed, or your heart is broken. When we are ready to believe that Christ is enough for us, even when in His sovereignty these things are in our lives, then we can rejoice and give glory to God no matter what happens tomorrow. Just consider the words of God given in Isaiah 45:11-13. “Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: ‘Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands? I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward,’ says the LORD of hosts.” This passage is about the One who is the ultimate expression of God’s compassionate sovereignty, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Holy One in whom we must place all our trust and find all our comfort, hope and peace! Brandon has inspired me by including songs with his blogs. I came across this song again yesterday from the spring, give it a listen.
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