The Shepherd’s Safety Net

I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God.

–Isaiah 45:5

Are you facing a major decision in your life? It may be regarding your job, your finances, or your family. Whatever your dilemma is, you desperately want to know God’s will. So you’ve read the Bible, you’ve prayed, you’ve sought wise counsel from other people, and you feel like God is leading you in a specific direction. You’re like a trapeze artist about to let go of the bar–you’re ready to fly out and trust God. But you have this nagging feeling: What if this is a mistake? What if I’m following my own desires, not God’s leading? What if I fail?

I want to assure you that underneath our every decision, our every circumstance, and even our every mistake is a safety net called the sovereignty of God. This week, we’re going to learn about the sovereignty of God and how it relates to the choices we make in everyday life.

What is the sovereignty of God? Let me give you a simple definition: the sovereignty of God means that God rules over all His creation. In Isaiah 45:5, God said, “I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God.” There are not multiple gods. There are not multiple rulers in the universe. There is one God, one Ruler in the universe. He has a plan for His creation, and He will accomplish His plan.

God’s plan is bigger than we could possibly imagine. It’s big enough to include the fall of Satan from heaven, the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, the rebellion of Israel in the wilderness, and even the crucifixion of His own Son. God’s plan is big enough to include every natural disaster, terrorist attack, and pandemic. God alone rules over His universe, and He has a plan.

I remember reading many years ago that an asteroid came within five hundred thousand miles of striking our planet. According to astronomers, that’s dangerously close! Had it struck our planet, it could’ve wiped out an entire city. What kept that asteroid from hitting our planet? Hebrews 1:3 says God “upholds all things by the word of His power.” And just as God has control over the planets and the asteroids, He has control over your life, and He will accomplish His plan for your life.

What if you marry the wrong person? God will accomplish His plan for your life. What if you confuse your own feelings for God’s leading? God will accomplish His plan for your life. What if you rebel against Him? God will accomplish His plan for your life. That’s the sovereignty of God.

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Today’s devotion is adapted from “The Shepherd’s Safety Net” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2008.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.