While the Rabbi was sleeping peacefully in the front of the boat, the fishermen-turned-apostles frantically baled water from the tiny craft and furiously rowed against the stormy gale. Fearing death-by-drowning, the weary disciples cried, “Wake up, Jesus. This is no time for a nap!” “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” (Mark 4:38). To their astonishment, Jesus calmly stood, turned his face into the wind and spoke with authority. “Peace! Be Still!” (Mark 4:39, ESV). The howling winds died, leaving a sudden stillness. Utter calm covered the sea, leaving not the tiniest ripple. Fear fell upon the men in the boat. “They were terrified and asked one another, ‘Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!’ ” (Mark 4:41). There, on the Sea of Galilee, the disciples grappled with the reality of God’s Sovereignty.
The Bible is clear and convincing. The Triune God has all-power and all-authority. He is sovereign over all of His creation. “The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed, enveloped in strength” (Psalm 93:1).
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). God spoke, “Let there be...” and there was. The Great Eternal Artist took nothing, and from nothing created everything, and it became the loveliest masterpiece.
“All things were created through (Jesus), and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created” (John 1:1–3). He created the universe. It’s His. He owns it and He alone controls it. “Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created”(Revelation 4:11).
God declares His rightful ownership. “Every animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine” (Psalm 50:10–11).
He created everything. He owns everything. And He sustains everything.
What would happen if God were to remove His protective hand for a single moment? Would the earth cease to orbit? Would the law of gravity be suspended? Would hearts cease to beat? The writer to the Hebrews said that God is unceasingly busy “sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:2–3).
Jesus illuminated His absolute control over creation. “Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent” (Matthew 10:29–30).
He holds the vast universe in His hand. God is sovereign.
Stop! Think about it! Do you really believe that God loves us? Do you believe that God is good? Are you convinced that God is omnipotent? That He is sovereign?
Maybe you feel like you are in a rowboat on a stormy sea. Even so, what do you have to worry about?
All Scripture quotation, except as otherwise noted, are from
Holman Bible Publishers’ Christian Standard Bible.
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