DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017
God the Sovereign Creator
In Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J. I. Packer explained the difference between “God’s will of precept and His will of purpose, the former being His published declaration of what man ought to do, the latter His (largely secret) decision as to what He Himself will do. The distinction is between God’s law and His plan. The former tells man what he should be; the latter settles what he will be. Both aspects of the will of God are facts, though how they are related in the mind of God is inscrutable to us.”
God’s sovereignty is both a comforting and a mysterious doctrine. He is the all-powerful Creator, Lord over both light and darkness, bringer of both prosperity and disaster (vv. 7–8). He is the One who “wraps himself in light as with a garment” (Ps. 104:2). He is the absolute King over every reality in the universe!
Acknowledged or not, He is worthy of worship. He does what He does so that all will know this truth (vv. 5–6). In this passage, He chose to work through Cyrus, king of Persia (vv. 1–4, 13), to send the Jewish exiles home. Even the emperor of the reigning superpower had no choice but to do what God wills. This pagan king would be made into an “anointed” instrument of God’s righteousness to serve His people.
Worship should also include submission and obedience (vv. 9–12). As a child obeys a parent, or as a pot yields to the shaping hand of a potter, it is both fitting and required that we bow before Him. Too often, though, we question, criticize, or talk back. Yet He created all and governs all. He does exactly as He wishes; His plans never fail. All the earth must and will one day see and acknowledge His glorious sovereignty!
APPLY THE WORD
The Sovereign Creator knows the stars by name (Isa. 40:26). He feeds and clothes birds and flowers (Matt. 6:25–34). He even watches over sparrows (Matt. 10:29–31). How much more does He care for us! Choose one of these verses as your own reminder to “Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7; Ps. 55:22; Phil 4:6–7).
Today in the Word is a production of Moody Global Ministries
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