I will never be an overcoming disciple for the Lord unless I realize what failure is. Failure, I have been taught, is when I do not pray, read my Bible, or witness daily. But those things are not failure, despite their importance; they are the symptoms of failure. Christian failure goes right to the bedrock of my relationship with God and can be summed up in one word: sovereignty.
Sovereignty is God’s right to ask “unconditional surrender” of me. That was Job’s problem. Many have taught that the theme of the book of Job is, “Why do the righteous suffer?” In the light of God’s sovereignty, that is a meaningless question. The basic conflict between Job and God was that of ultimate control. Did God have the right to inflict suffering on Job, or inflict anything else, for that matter? It is beautiful to watch how Job finally comes to understand why God has led him through the dark maze; and, once he understands that God wants sovereign control, Job gladly yields it to Him (Job 40:1–5; 42:1–6).
The human failures of the Bible, such as King Saul and Judas, Stubbed their toes, not on dedication, commitment, or zeal, but on sovereignty. They wanted God and His power desperately, but not at the price of unconditional surrender. Unless I am careful, it will be easy for me to repeat their mistake. Christianity is not my using God. but God using me; not my wrangling the best deal for time and eternity, but God making a beautiful vessel out of a lump of clay. Flower pot or water jar, what is the difference as long as God decides which and supplies the power to make it possible! My response to this glorious truth must be that of Eli: “It is the Lord; let Him do what seems good to Him” (1 Samuel 3:18).
“Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use?” (Romans 9:21)
Daily with the King 