Who's In Charge Here?

Is God sovereign or not? Do you have free will or not? These great questions have been debated down through the church age by people more scholarly than I am. But I have a few thoughts.

Think mathematical sets. Which would be larger? God’s sovereignty or our free will? Obviously, sovereignty by definition must be larger. Moreover, how would the two sets appear? Side by side or one inside the other? Again, the smaller must reside within the larger. If our free will is outside the boundaries of God’s sovereignty, then by nature he is not sovereign.

Sovereign is defined as “having supreme authority or power.” God is omnipotent. We cannot overrule him. And although he gave—he gave— us free will, he will at times overrule us.

Scripture tell us that God turns the heart of a ruler like a river, whichever way he wishes. We also know that our sins are like ropes and chains that tie and bind us. We are slaves to sin. Therefore, we are not completely free. And while we are told in the book of Joshua to choose who we will serve and to choose between good and evil, our free will still resides within the sphere of God’s sovereignty.

Free will is often thought of as “doing whatever we want.” But in fact our “free” will isn’t without limitations or boundaries. And that idea pertains to pruning.

Pruning is good. It’s for our benefit. It’s not a punishment. Grapevines are pruned to produce more fruit, better fruit. Healthier. Heartier. They yield more fruit and that fruit is of higher quality. Pruning is deliberate and by design. But we must consent to it. We must surrender. That is, we must exercise our free will.

What’s true in the physical realm is much more so spiritually. If we are not pruned, we will bear less fruit, perhaps only 30% of what someone else’s life might produce. Furthermore, our fruit might be only 60% as valuable as someone else’s if we are not pruned.

But when we present ourselves to God and permit him to trim away those things that draw down our energy and consume our time, we redeem the time and make the most of the talents we are given. When our resources are best used, we reach our maximum potential. And what better way to fulfill God's will?

What Are You Expecting?

Last year I focused on the topic of expectancy. This year my motif and theme are fruitfulness. And the two are linked.

We should expect to be fruitful because we are the branches and Jesus is the vine. In future posts I’ll look at the benefits of pruning. And I’ll try to address a few issues such as how we can inspect fruit and what happens when we do.

But for now, I want to stir your thinking about harvest.

I know, it’s not even spring. But when we plant we do so because we’re already thinking ahead to the harvest. And there’s an illustration that you might not typically associate with such planning.

“And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast.” (Luke 15:23, nlt)

When the younger son came home, the father ordered a particular calf be slaughtered for the party. But this was no spur of the moment decision. It wasn’t an emotional response. It was a deliberate action made on a specific choice that the father set in place long before his son’s arrival.

At some point after the younger son left, the father began to anticipate his return. And because he did, he made preparation for that day.

Anticipation leads to preparation. They are proof of hope. Which is evidence of faith. If you ever wondered about your faith, look at what you anticipate and prepare for.

Jesus told his disciples (and us), “I have to go. I have work to do. I must prepare for your arrival in heaven. I’m looking forward to the day we’ll be reunited. I’ll be back before you know it. And you know that all this is true because I never tell you anything but the truth.”

If that doesn’t excite us, I’m not sure what will. But when we realize that God anticipate our reunion and is preparing for us to be with him for all eternity that should stir hope in us. And we should anticipate and prepare for that day.

I don’t know what heaven will be like. But I know we’re going to celebrate and enjoy a feast, a banquet, a party unlike any we’ve ever been invited to attend.