Our Sovereign God

Our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases.-Psalm 115:3

When I was in college I had the opportunity to write a twenty page research paper on any doctrinal issue. I choose to write on "open theism." Open theism is the teaching that God has granted to humanity free will and that in order for the free will to be truly free, the future free will choices of individuals cannot be known ahead of time by God. In other words humans are free to make choices and God has limited Himself in such a way that He does not know the choices which His creatures are going to make. I had a blast researching and writing the paper (I know I'm a nerd); however, after finishing the paper I was struck with the reality which I bet you had while reading the definition of open theism. I was struck with the reality that open theism could not possibly be correct or biblically sound. Since writing the paper on open theism I have spent years researching, meditating, and embracing the sovereignty of God. I have come to the biblical realization that God is sovereign over every aspect of life. He is sovereign over creation, man, disasters, diseases, free will, presidents, nations, etc. 

Fast forward five years...

December 12, 2013 Piper Christine Welch was born into the world at 7:30 pm. I was the first person to hold Piper when she came into the world. As I starred down into Piper's beautiful blue/gray eyes the Holy Spirit began to fill my mind with verses which I had memorized about the sovereignty of God. Verses such as 

• Psalm 115:3 Our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases.
• 1 Chronicles 29:11-12: Yours O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.
• Psalm 103:19: The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
• Proverbs 21:1: The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
• Psalm 135:6: Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.
• Daniel 2:21: He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
• Proverbs 16:33: The lot is cast into the lap, but its ever decision is from the Lord.
• Romans 9:15: I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
• Romans 8:29-30: For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He all called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.

I am learning that being a new parent is hard. The learning curve is steep. We were thrown right into the parenting pool and we are either going to sink or swim. There are countless questions which run through my mind, how do I change a diaper? What is that black stuff in her diaper? Spit-up, what in the world? I better hold onto that head cause it looks like it could just pop off. These and other questions are constantly running through my mind; however, I can take great courage and comfort in the fact that God is sovereign. He is in control over everything. He knows every moment of Piper's life. God is orchestrating every detail of Piper's life to maximize His glory. He is with us now as we learn how to be a parent, He is in the future when Piper is five and she falls out of a tree and breaks her arm, He is in the future when she turns sixteen and gets her license, He is in the future when she graduates from high school, goes to college, finds a job and gets married. God is over every aspect of her life. I can rest easy at night (whenever we finally are able to develop a schedule) knowing that God is sovereign and in complete control.

God is sovereign not only over Piper's physical life (choices she will make), but He is also sovereign over her spiritual life. The bible teaches that God will save whom He will save. He has the right to show compassion on those whom He wants to show compassion. He has the right to show His wrath on those whom He wants to show His wrath. God has elected some for eternal life and others for eternal wrath. Who is among the elect? We do not know. Is Piper one of God's elect? We do not know. Here is what we do know: those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead; then you will be saved. God is rich in compassion; hoping that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. As long as there is breath in the body there is hope for the soul. God is mighty to save. God will save whom He will save. Our job is to preach the Gospel. Julia and I's job is to raise Piper up teaching her the truth about God, man, sin, Jesus, etc. God will use these truths to save Piper if He chooses. Some of you reading this may be appalled right now that I would say these things. I believe this is what the Bible teaches and as I hold Piper at night and stare into her eyes I find great comfort, courage and strength in knowing that God is sovereign.

In conclusion, God is sovereign over every aspect of our lives. God is in the Heaven and He does what He pleases. This truth brings me courage, comfort and strength as I am learning to be a new parent.