God is Sovereign

Remember the former things of old;

for I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me,

declaring the end from the beginning

and from ancient things not yet done,

saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,

and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

  Isaiah 46: 9 -10

What does it mean to be sovereign? ‘having supreme rank, power or authority, preeminent; Indisputable, greatest in degree; utmost or extreme being above all others in character, importance, excellence, efficacious,; potent. (Dictionary.com). The Merriam- Webster Dictionary defines Sovereign as, ‘superlative in quality; excellent of a most exalted kind; - supreme, of an unqualified nature, having undisputed ascendancy, unlimited in extent: absolute, enjoying autonomy.

Wow! Such beautiful definitions I doubt if there is any human being that qualifies as a sovereign being or who has all these attributes. The definitions show that to be sovereign means to be over and above all, one that can do and undo anything. Such a person is preeminent and indisputable that is above all and unquestionable, unqualified nature to me means having no full understanding of the character and nature of such a one and unlimited in extent means endless. There are human beings who are regarded as sovereign by virtue of their position in life so we hear  phrases like ‘the sovereign ruler or such and such a place’ mostly used in reference to kings, queens, presidents and leaders of countries who no doubt have powers but such powers are limited. For example the Queen of England is only queen in England and while she is respected and acknowledged the world over she cannot decide what happens in other parts of the world and neither can she reign in all parts of the earth. 

In times past Kings had so much power they were often revered as god’s a King like Ahasuerus was so powerful that even his wife could be killed if she went uninvited to him and he didn’t hold out his sceptre to her. In some parts of Nigeria in the olden days if a king saw a woman he liked he could command that she be taken to his palace as wife whether she liked it or not and whether she was married or not. No one including her husband could object. I am tempted to ask where those kings are now. Some were dethroned, others conquered in wars, died of sickness or were killed they couldn’t save themselves, so much for their sovereignty.  The Bible says of our Lord ‘Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end’ He is the eternal God that is our refuge.

I don’t think there is a word that better describes our great God like the word sovereign. He simply rules and reigns over the affairs of men. Without question only God is sovereign, He is Almighty, all knowing, all powerful, deathless, ageless and changeless. As great and mighty as he is He is mindful of us and interested in us. He had in him the power to keep our husbands or loved ones alive but chose to take them home. What He could have stopped in his infinite power He allowed in His infinite wisdom and He asks that we trust Him even in this. The storms and trails of life may knock us over but they can’t knock Him and because He is sovereign He will get us through. The future may seem uncertain but He who used a raven to feed Elijah and filled the widow’s containers with more than enough oil to get her out of debt remains the same. God has not changed and will not change. Nothing comes your way that he can’t handle. As we celebrate God’s greatest gift to man this season be encouraged that the love that took him to the cross and the power that raised him are available to lift you up and take you through a victorious life.