Part 2 - God's Sovereignty

There’s more to the story: (Caution this may be really painful!)

Monday August 25th – Journal Entry

Matthew 10:37-39 – "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Now there just isn’t going to be any easy way to say that. At any angle we try to make that feel right, it simply can’t be done… and that’s probably why it’s not frequently mentioned from the pulpit… it’s a very difficult reality to process. – Here in this text is Jesus’ very first mention of the “cross” to his disciples, and it’s brutal. He didn’t candy-coat it or wrap it in soft pillows. In their minds based on how the Romans were using the cross as a preferred tool for a grueling death, Jesus’ comments must have evoked a vision of a violent, painful and degrading death. In other words, what He just outlined wasn’t very encouraging to his new disciples. Jesus was wanting to be extremely clear that He was demanding total commitment from His disciples – even into physical death if necessary – and making this call to full surrender was a part of the message they would ultimately proclaim to others (i.e.: US!).

This same call to life or death devotion to Christ is repeated in Matthew 16:4, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23, and 14:27. – I suppose this is God’s way of telling us to read the fine print in the salvation contract. It’s all there, up front and painfully clear. In fact, if we re-read v39 we will discover His absolute guarantee: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Now let me tie this back to God’s sovereignty; “Is your life your own to plan and live as you seem best, or is your life God’s and therefore He has full right to lead and direct according to His pleasure and will… which may include difficulty, hardship, pain and if necessary death? Does He or does He not have the exclusive right to create the plan and script for your life’s story according to His infinite wisdom and sovereignty as God Eternal? – Is your trust in Him as the God of your salvation good enough to deal with any situation or difficulty with the confidence of knowing that He allowed such things to occur… meaning He has not, nor ever will be caught by surprise with any event in your life? When tested with life’s difficulties and challenges, do you possess a bullet-proof faith that confidently knows that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purposes?

So, please explain to me again, “What is faith?” (Note: By the way, “WHAT IF” Brasil was only a door into a season of your life that lead to another nation? “WHAT IF” in God’s sovereign plan He directed any of us to India or Africa where His plan for our life was more fully revealed there. “WHAT IF” all we got for the rest of our lives was an occasional “visit” back to the USA for brief visits with family and friends and the ultimate attending of their funerals as we live out God’s plan for our lives thousands of miles from home? “WHAT IF?” – “WHY NOT?”

Wow, do we even have a choice? Well, yes… ultimately we will always have a choice. The problem however is not with the choices, but more so in our ability to understand our life from God’s perspective by valuing more those things of greater and eternal value from HIS point of view. I guess I just said, “we don’t get it from God’s perspective, huh? And that’s obviously why its’ extremely difficult to trust Him completely with our lives,… because we aren’t looking at the big picture, we’re too focused on the frame that’s titled, “Here and Now”.

God is sovereign. We are not. Who are you going to trust?