The Perfecting Storm of a Sovereign King

I have been preaching verse by verse through Matthew since last Christmas.  Last week found us in Matthew 14 and part of the passage dealt with the fact that Jesus commanded his disciples to go into a boat at night and head out to sea.  They ended up in the midst of a storm.  I quoted Warren Wiersbe and noted that sometimes God uses “Storms of Correction” and other times God uses “Storms of Perfection”.  As the disciples had faced a storm to bring them growth in their relationship with Christ, Jonah had faced a storm to bring him to obedience to God. To many who knew the events of the past week they might have said we had a “week from Hell.”  Yet, knowing that we serve a SOVEREIGN GOD we know that He lead us through just what He had planned.

As SOVEREIGN OVER ALL, we knew going to court (to maintain guardianship of three children we have cared for two years) that ultimately it was not the judge who would render judgment.  For as Solomon said the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord (Prov. 21:1) surely the ruling of a judge is only allowed by His Sovereign direction.

As SOVEREIGN PROVIDER, he knew our car would break down and it would have to be left in town for repairs.  He knew a friend would be in town to provide us a ride home.  He knew and directed someone to notice and drop enough for the repair bill on my desk.  He knew the battery would go dead in our other vehicle on the same day and provided someone who came and took it off the charger while I was gone and had it replaced. (Ps 23:1)

As SOVEREIGN PERFECTOR, we know that he does everything in the lives of those who have repented and trusted Christ as Savior to “conform them to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29)

A SOVEREIGN PEACE is provided by the Prince of Peace, not only peace with God because of Christ’s righteousness at salvation, but the “peace of God that surpasses all understanding.”  (Phil. 4:7)

Through His SOVEREIGN PROMISE, we know “all things work together for good to those who love God to those who have been called according to His purpose.”  (Rom. 8:28-29)

As SOVEREIGN PROTECTOR, we entrust to Him the safety of the children as they return to their birth mother.  (Psalm 18:2)

So although we may not immediately see or understand what God is doing, we can be THANKFUL that we serve a SOVEREIGN KING who is LORD OF ALL and we can and will TRUST in Him as He fulfills his SOVEREIGN PLAN.  (Prov. 16:9; 19:21) 

** This article was originally written last October.