Daily Devotional

-August 21, 2021-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

-The Sovereignty Of God, The Futility Of Idols-

“But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” Their idols are silver and gold, the works of men’s hands.”

(Psalm 115:3-4).

The subject of Psalm 115 is the Futility of Idols and the Trustworthiness of God. The author is unknown. There is only one true God, who is the living and almighty God. All other gods are idols, the works of men’s hands.

One of the attributes of God is His sovereignty. The word sovereign means to be in complete control of something. God is sovereign, which means He is in complete control of everything in the universe. Kings and queens are often called sovereigns, that is they rule over a country or empire. A example of this today is the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. They now have complete control over the country, which is very dangerous and scary.

Our God is a loving and good God. He is righteous, just, and fair. All His ways and decisions are perfect in every way. Today’s text tells us, “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. No one can question Him or thwart His plans. He doesn’t have to answer to anyone. He decisions are final, His authority is absolute.

There are two main aspects of God’s will: His perfect will, that which comes from Him, and His permissive will, which He allows. The devil is temporarily the god of this world. He is control of governments and unsaved people’s lives. Sin is everywhere and terrible things are happening. One day, Christ will come back to earth and take full control. The devil will be thrown into the lake of fire and we will reign with Christ forever.

As believers, we should trust God for everything, not doubting or questioning but submitting and obeying. The Lord knows what He is doing. He is in heaven, and is in control of the universe, the earth, and our lives. Whatever happens to us is for our good and God’s glory. Paul wrote, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). We can count on this wonderful promise from God, along with the myriad of other promises in the Word of God.

All other gods are the silver and gold, the works of men’s hands. In verses 4-8, we see that these idols have mouths, but they cannot speak; they have eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but they cannot hear; they have noses, but they cannot smell; and they have feet, but they cannot walk. They are lifeless and useless. Verse 8 is very telling, “Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.” We have different idols today: money, possessions, pleasures, power, glamour, and fame. They are just as futile and useless.

What a sharp contrast to our God, who is living and loving. He is our help and one day we will see Him face to face in all of His glory. God fights for us, works on our behalf, and protects us. He is the King, the Sovereign of the universe, and we children of the King. Let us rejoice that He has saved us and He cares for us daily. We are on His side, and He is on our side, the victorious side.

Have a blessed day submitting to His will and authority, trusting in Him. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean