Today as we finish looking at Genesis 50: 15-21 I wanted to talk a little be about my understanding of God’s sovereignty and human free will. I could sum it all up in this way, it’s a mystery that no one understands and move on from there. But I don’t really think that’s what anyone is looking for!

I believe that scripture teaches both truths. What we see here and in another passage I dearly love, Romans 8:28, God is at work in all things bringing them to His glory and for our good.  Nothing can thwart the will of God.  God is completely in control and will work all things out according to His plan.

So, within that, does that mean that murder is God’s plan?  Does it mean that hurricanes are God’s plan?  Abuse?  Hatred?  Sin?  If God is sovereign and in control of all things, does that mean that all of the tragedies of life are at God’s feet?  Does it mean that God wills all of the evil in the world?

No.  There are a couple of other things that scripture teaches.  One is the humans have free will.  We see it all over the Old and New Testaments as time after time persons are called to choose who they will follow, God or the world.  Work out their salvation by doing their part.  We see over and over again the notion that we as humans have a choice. From Adam and Eve to the Israelites, to the rich young ruler.  We have free will.

But, the other thing that we see is that this world is fallen and corrupted because of the Fall (Genesis 3, Romans 8) and that things are night right.  We are disordered as humans and our free will is perverted and we will willingly choose evil, even to our own harm, and this world is corrupt, and not in line with God’s perfect will.

This is the mystery.  God is in control. We have free will. The world is disordered. And God will use all things for good. I’ve said many times, the power of God is not that He will stop bad things from happening, but He will work all things for our good and for His glory. That’s the mystery and the power of God. Yes, we have a choice. Yes, God knows our choice. And yes God will use our choice for His grand purpose.

Be faithful today.  Trust in Him. Use His grace to make the right choices. But also relax.  You can’t destroy the will of God through your choices.  He will work all things to good.  You can trust in Him today. He has this. Even if it doesn’t make sense and you don’t understand it. Trust. God is at work in all things.  We can believe that today.

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