The death of a friend and the sovereignty of God

“…in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” Ephesians 1: 10-12)

Last week I gave a testimony for a longtime close friend who died after a year-long battle with cancer. His death brought me face to face with the reality that God is sovereign and that his purposes on earth will be fulfilled no matter how much we pray against it and no matter how it often hurts. “Your ways are not My ways," says the Lord,” comes to mind. (Is. 55:8)

There is a popular worship song that reminds us, “Who am I that you are mindful of me?” The song declares a friendship between God and the believer exists that to me seems unfathomable. When I consider the creation account in Genesis 1 or the fear and awe that overcame Isaiah when he encountered God (Is 6: 1-6) and the words of this song burn in my soul. Job captured the experience of confronting the power and sovereignty of God saying, “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:1-6)

Paul reminds us in his letter to the Ephesians that we are believers because God gave us the faith to believe. We live, move, and breathe at his command and according to His purposes and for His pleasure. Everything that happens to us, every illness, accident, birth, relationship works together for the good for those of us who love Him. God did not take my friend from me, he allowed him to come into my life for His purposes and to enrich my life in Christ and now he is home with the Lord.

Today is not a day to weep; rather it is a day to celebrate life in Christ and the Sovereign King who is both mindful of me and big enough to use all things together for the good of we who believe and to bring the whole world to its knees in worship. God allowed my friend to have cancer and gave him the faith to say he was thankful that God allowed him to have cancer! Why? Because he knew that God would use this terrible disease to bring another man closer by increasing his faith.

“Praise God from who all blessings flow!”