Is God sovereign over all things? Many people have a difficult time answering this question, me included. If He is sovereign over all things then we eventually come full circle to the question, “Is God sovereign over sin and death?”

Several years back my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. During the same time a close friend was diagnosed with cancer in his spine, stomach, and brain. While I was walking with my lovely bride through the effects of this horrible affliction, I was also walking by the side of my friend. Today, eleven years later, I celebrate with my wife the victory the Lord has given her over the cancer, and I still ponder over the death of my 28 year old friend.

He fought the battle of cancer for five months and as it would seem to many of us here on earth… he lost. The question arose often while many of us would gather around his bedside and pray and worship… “Is God listening to our prayers?” This young man knew the Lord, lived a clean life, and lived to glorify Him. So why did he die at such a young age of 28. His entire future was still before him. He was married and had great plans to serve God with his wife for 50 more years. He had it all going for him.

Let’s take for a moment and suppose a thing or two. Suppose that my friend had lived. We would all praise God for Him being Sovereign over disease and healing him. Let’s suppose that my friend was able to grow old with his wife and share his story with thousands how God saved him from the clutches of cancer. We would all join him in his victory. So why then do we often assume that because he died that God isn’t just as involved?

God knew the Egyptians would die in the Red Sea. God understood that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah would turn away from Him and He would eventually wipe them out. God knew Moses was going to die in the wilderness. And Jesus even predicts and tells the apostles of His own death. Jesus tells us in Mat 10:29 that He even knows when a sparrow is going to fall to the ground. Not only does he know when we are to die, but He also has authority over death. Col 1:18 tells us the He is “firstborn” from the dead. The term here means that God has authority over it. He died on the cross and rose from the dead.

Since He has broken the chains of death, we know that one day the scripture will come to pass that asks, “Oh death where is your sting?” (1Cor 15:55) We understand today that death has a sting. We experience it every time we go to a funeral. But there is hope that the victory and sting of death will be removed when we too are resurrected unto Him.

Blessings to you as you draw close to Him,
Keith