Psalm 147:15-20

The psalmist is pointing out Israel’s privileged position before God. God selects whom He will for His purposes—much like Mary was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. We may or may not like His selections, but He is God. He can do whatever He wants.

Paul addresses this truth directly in Romans 9:

“No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭20‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Basically, Paul is reminding us that human beings are in no position to argue with their Creator. Just as a potter has the right to shape clay for different purposes, God has the sovereign authority to act according to His will. Even so, Paul emphasizes that God is patient and purposeful, ultimately revealing the riches of His glory through mercy.

Because of this, we must be careful not to question God or His choices in a way that places us in opposition to His purposes and plans, much like the Pharisees did with Jesus. Gamaliel’s wise counsel to the high council in Acts 5 illustrates this well:

““So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!””
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭5‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ ‭NLT‬‬

He urged restraint, warning that if the apostles’ work were merely human, it would fail on its own—but if it were from God, opposing it would mean fighting against God Himself.

We do not have to understand everything. Some things must be accepted regardless of our personal opinions. God is in charge—we are not.

This truth is echoed in Psalm 32:

“The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.””
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭32‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Lord promises to guide, instruct, and watch over His people. We are warned not to be stubborn or resistant, like an animal that must be forced to comply, but instead to trust His direction willingly.

James brings these ideas together in James 4:

“Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”
‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬

James is warning believers not to judge one another or speak arrogantly about the future. When we judge others, we place ourselves above God’s law rather than submitting to it. God alone is the Lawgiver and Judge, and He alone has the power to save or destroy. James also reminds us how fragile and uncertain life is. Rather than boasting about our plans, we should humbly acknowledge that every tomorrow depends on the Lord’s will, and to know what is right and refuse to do it is sin.

At the core of this struggle is our discomfort with someone else calling the shots. We want to believe we are fully in control of our own destiny. In one sense, we are responsible for our choices, and those choices lead either to life or to death according to the boundaries God has established. Yet much of what we perceive as control is an illusion. We have freedom within limits, but ultimate power and sovereignty belong to God. This is a reality every person must come to terms with sooner or later—preferably sooner.