At the beginning of 2015, I preached a sermon (which you can find here) titled “God Reigns in 2015.” I argued that despite all the uncertainty in the world, God still reigns. In the sermon I used the following examples of uncertainty in our world: Robin Williams death by suicide, the Ebola crisis in West Africa, and Malaysian Flight 370 vanishing during a routine flight.
Not to diminish any of these uncertainties, but Covid-19, stock market crash, and political and cultural upheaval make 2015 seem tame. None of us want to repeat 2020. And 2021 is off to a rocky start. It is fair to ask: where is God? Does God still reign?
Of course, for most of you who read this blog, my church family, you would say a definite, “Yes, God still reigns.” But what is He up to? I wish I had the answer, but unfortunately, I do not. We will not know the specifics of what God is up to in 2021 until 2021 is finished.
We can, however, be confident and trust in the fact that God still reigns. I want to remind you this week about what the Bible says about God’s sovereign reign.
God reigns over animals. “They all wait for You to give them their food in due season. You give to them, they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.” (Psalm 104:27-28).
God reigns over nature. “Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down the showers? No, it is You, O Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in You, for You are the one who does all this.” (Jeremiah 14:22).
God reigns over nations. “Oh Lord, God of our Fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand You.” (2 Chronicles 20:6).
God reigns over people. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.” (Proverbs 21:1).
God reigns over suffering. “Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and ill go forth?” (Lamentations 3:38).
God reigns over evil. “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7).
Paul summarizes God’s reign over animals, nature, nations, people, suffering, and evil when he says that God “works all things in accordance with the plan of His will.” (Ephesians 1:11).
I don’t know what the rest of 2021 holds, and I sure hope it is better than 2020! But I take great comfort in a good, loving, and faithful God who still reigns.
Pastor Dan
For more on God’s sovereign reign, see the teaching here.