Absolute (Fatherly) Sovereignty
Jonathan Edwards is often quoted as saying, “Absolute sovereignty is what I love to ascribe to God.” I love that portion of Edward’s testimony, and I love that quote. However, for me, it’s not quite true. If I had penned that line, it would read:
Absolute fatherly sovereignty is what I love to ascribe to God.
The difference may seem subtle, but for me it is huge.
Other religions believe that God is absolutely sovereign, but it strikes fear into their hearts. The demons know for a fact that God is absolutely sovereign, and they tremble because they know it is to their ultimate doom. The Absolute Fatherly Sovereignty of God is uniquely ours to enjoy as Christians.
Let me demonstrate the difference:
When God was forming and growing this particular grapefruit, he did it with me in mind… knowing that we would laugh together about the amount of juice that squirted onto my face… knowing that the taste would be so perfectly sour and sweet that my taste buds would experience rapturous pleasure… knowing that in these quiet moments before anyone else is awake, this simple grapefruit would lead me again into worship and communion with him… knowing that even in the midst of this chaotic week, he was going to carve out time to have a daddy-date over breakfast with me… knowing that I, the chief of sinners, would be so overwhelmed with my father’s love that I would long to crawl into my daddy’s lap.
Yes. He orchestrated this small moment so that I might rest in him… that I might laugh with him… that I might find that once again, absolute fatherly sovereignty is what I love to ascribe to God.
