God's Sovereign Purposes

There is one thing in this life about which we can be assured and that is the truth of the word of God: “For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the things whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)

We also know from the Scripture and from life experiences that God's word is not only true but that for every truth, there is a perfect balance to that truth in Scripture. We know confidently that God's word never contradicts itself. The best interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture and the Holy Spirit is our Teacher. There is a “whole counsel” of God that can only be understood by discovering the weaving of truth from the opening pages of Genesis to final chapters of Revelation.

But we also know as finite beings, we serve an infinite God. And there are things in Scripture and in life experiences that we just cannot fully understand. The Word reminds us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55: 8-9)

There were things that Jesus and the disciples did that can only be understood by God's sovereign purposes.

For example, why did Jesus only heal one person at the Pool of Bethesda and not the other multitudes who were also there according to John 5:1-8? Why did Jesus and the disciples, who had gone into the temple at the gate called Beautiful many times previously, not heal the lame man who was carried and laid daily at this gate? And yet, Peter and John according to Acts 3:1-10, passed through that same gate and on this occasion, Peter commanded the man in Jesus' name to, “rise up and walk!” and he was miraculously healed!

Why did Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-45) and not raise John the Baptist (Matthew 14:1-13) or why was Stephen not raised from the dead?(Acts 6:8-7:60) hy was James martyred (Acts 12:1-2) and Peter delivered (Acts 12:3-18)?

Why did Paul, according to II Timothy 4:20 say, “I left Trophimus at Miletum sick” and not heal him as he had done for so many others? Why did Paul say to Timothy in I Timothy 5:23 “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities” when Paul had so miraculously healed others in Jesus' name?

Only in God's sovereign purposes can we know the answer. Jesus said that he didn't do nor say anything except he saw or heard the Father. And, the disciples said and did what they were led by the Spirit to do. In other words both Jesus and the disciples saw in the Spirit and heard the Spirit and acted accordingly. Thus, to see and know what the Spirit is saying and doing in our lives, we must be filled and led by the Holy Spirit.

As I reflect upon these truths in the Scripture, I am reminded of an incident that occurred in my early childhood that has encouraged me especially in times of uncertainty and doubt.

My grandmother was embroidering while I was seated at her feet. When she completed the design, she ask me to tell her what I thought of the finished picture. From my vantage point on the floor, I could only see loose ends of many colored threads hanging down from the hoop. So I didn't know how to answer my grandmother. When she realized that I could not see the completed design, she told me to stand up so that I could see it. As I did, I saw a beautiful flower designed in the cloth.

“Granny”, as I affectionately called her, then began to take the time to teach me a life long lesson that I will never forget. She said, “Son, life is a lot like this embroidering cloth and hoop. From where we are here on the earth, we often only see the loose ends of uneven threads of unexplainable life experiences. But when we see life from God's sovereign perspective and purposes, which sometimes we can see here on earth through faith and prayer, we have some finite understanding of the sovereign and infinite work of God.

However, only when we are in His presence will we know fully why things happened on earth as they did. We are assured by God's word in I Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass darkly: but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

In conclusion, I want to share a dream from the Lord that I had. I was cutting my way with a machete through a thick jungle. As I cleared a path deeply into the jungle, I heard the Lord speak to me, “Turn around”. And when I did, I saw at the entrance of the path, many young servants of the Lord peering into the darkness of the path I was cutting. Then the Lord spoke to me again and said, “Tell these young servants to come on, it's alright. God is faithful!” Finally he told me to shout to these servants, “Follow me as I follow Jesus!”