The best response to God’s sovereignty is unbridled and unadulterated adoration and praise.
When we consider what happened to Jesus we see the depth and veracity of this statement.
To help you understand what is going on, put yourself in the shoes or sandals of a first century witness to the events of the crucifixion of Jesus. After 3 years of seeing Jesus do amazing miracles, hearing Him teaching boldly and with a different authority to the regular teachers and hearing the claims He made about Himself, it would be very easy to be deflated as you watch Him die upon the cross. Many beat their breast and walked away from the cross, dejected, sad and disappointed. From a purely human point of view, they had hoped Jesus would be the appointed Messiah but He died. Their hopes died with Him on the cross.
But three days later the disciples see Him alive and well! He’s not a ghost or apparition. You poke Him and you prod Him to make sure He’s real. And as the Holy Spirit fills you, you realise that this was God’s plan right from the very start.
God had always planned to send His Son into the world. This Son would face the rage and plotting of the nations. This Son would face the stand off against the nations. And yet God laughs. God scoffs at them. Why? Because through this Son Jesus, God would accomplish what He had already decided before hand. No plan of God’s can be thwarted. No person or organisation or government department can outsmart or outwit God.
The disciples have gathered in the upper room, having been persecuted and they lift up their voices to God in adoration and praise. With joyful hearts they sing God’s Glory and recite Psalm 2 to Him. They declare the wonder of God and praise His glorious name, His wonderful plan. In short, they praise God for His sovereignty!
Whether you realise it or not, your life comes under the sovereignty of God. Nothing that has happened, is happening, or will happen to you that can catch God by surprise. Nothing in your life can thwart God’s purposes. God is at work in your life, just as He was at work in the life of Joseph and in Jesus. God has a plan and that plan is in full swing.
Even if your life is an absolute misery at present you can praise God for who He is. You can sing God’s glory and praise because of God’s character and qualities. Your life doesn’t make God any less sovereign or loving or gracious or kind or compassionate... Get the picture? When we praise God, when we worship God we focus on Him to the exclusion of everything else, especially ourselves.
If your life is difficult at present, try to find one thing to praise God for. Tomorrow try to find 2 things to praise God for and so on. Pretty soon, you’ll be lifting up the praises and adorations of God just as the beaten and bloodied disciples did in that upper room.
Worship Moment
We’ve all the heard the adage that Sonday church is not worship, all of life is worship. I think we’ve heard it to death.
But think about your life as worship. No matter what you are doing, be it working or sporting or relaxing or driving or partying.... your life can be a song of adoration and praise to the Lord. Your life can be a testimony of worship whatever you are doing.
When you think about it like that, it makes you want to do your best for God doesn’t it?
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:

Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
- Pray that the Word of God would be boldly and fearlessly preached this weekend in your church and in the churches across the city. Pray that each person would sit under the authority of the Word and grow in adoration and praise of God.
- Pray that your Youth Group would faithfully and consistently teach the youth what it means to worship our awesome and sovereign God. Pray that they would grow in wisdom, in knowledge and in their willingness to surrender all things to God. Pray that the youth group would grow by conversions.
My Additional Prayer Points
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