O Father, You are Sovereign

By: Chris Johnson

November 4, 2008

When I was in my twenties, I had a shortage of experience. I didn’t know what it felt like to lose my Mom, my Dad, a granddaughter. I didn’t know what it was like to have heartache nor heartbreak.

Then would be true until I reached my late fifties and now my sixties. My heart has been tested and tested and broken many times.

Once I didn’t know too much about what it meant to be a liberal or a conservative. I have been a liberal – voting for Jimmy Carter and I have most recently been a conservative – voting for Reagan and Bush.

Once I didn’t know what it meant to be disappointed and disgusted by government officials, friends, relatives, church leaders, myself.

I say all of that to say though that through it all I have discovered that I live in a fallen world and that, indeed, I am fallen. There is only One that is perfect. There is One that is in control and that is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

As I prepare to go to the polls today, I go with a heavy heart believing that though neither candidate is even close to perfect there are stark differences between the two. I recognize that no matter which of these candidates is elected our world and our society is heading toward that day when Jesus Christ will come in full splendor and judge with power and might – unrighteousness – and He will bring in His new age of eternal glory and eternal life where all knees will bow.

As long as we have life and breath, we we are to learn His ways and and walk in them – detesting evil and vigorously opposing it.

My friend Art Ally stated it this way in his prayer letter today ” … I was able to spend yesterday in fasting and prayer for the future of our nation. I started out asking Him to extend His mercy one more time but ended up acknowledging His sovereignty and concluding with ‘Thy will be done.’

If a McCain win doesn’t return this nation to following Him again wholdheartedly, then what’s the point? Ultimately, we deserve what we might get with an Obama presidency. But, then again, we have always deserved what we might have gotten — but His mercies have continued to be extended. He may do it again — but He will not contend with us forever. …”

Lastly, I’m not much of a musician or singer, but I found myself drawn to the piano today and began wailing on it the following song.

“O Father, You are Sovereign”

I recorded it and am playing it over and over periodically through the day.
O Father, You are sovereign
In all the worlds You made;
Your mighty Word was spoken,
And light and life obeyed.
Your voice commands the seasons
And bounds the ocean’s shore,
Sets stars within their courses
And stills the tempests’ roar.

O Father, You are sovereign
In all affairs of man;
No powers of death or darkness
Can thwart Your perfect plan.
All chance and change transcending,
Supreme in time and space,
You hold your trusting children
Secure in Your embrace.

O Father, You are sovereign
The Lord of human pain,
Transmuting earthly sorrows
To gold of heavenly gain,
All evil overruling,
As none but Conqueror could,
Your love pursues its purpose-
Our souls’ eternal good.

O Father, You are sovereign!
We see You dimly now,
But soon before Your triumph
Earth’s every knee shall bow.
With this glad hope before us
Our faith springs forth anew:
Our Sovereign Lord and Savior,
We trust and worship You!

================================

American Decency Association
Bill Johnson, President
P.O. Box 202
Fremont, MI 49412
ph: 231-924-4050
https://americandecency.org

---