“The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coasts and islands be glad.”-Psalm 97:1

Charles Spurgeon once wisely wrote, “When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.” I interpret that to mean that understanding God's sovereignty leads to our rest. Knowing God reigns, that He is supreme, that ultimately He is over us and in control of the entire universe, is profoundly comforting. But not only is there rest and comfort in knowing God reigns, there is also reason for happiness in trusting God’s supremacy!

Let’s reread Psalm 97:1 which says, “The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coasts and islands be glad.” In this potent passage, we are reminded that God reigns. What does it mean to reign? To reign means to rule with royal power, to have ultimate authority, to be sovereign. In other words, God’s got it! He rules as King. He is overseeing all of creation. That’s no small thing! In fact, that's a really big deal. Can anyone else be described as one who reigns? Do you reign? Nope. Do I reign? Not even remotely. The truth is, many would love to hold such power, but only One does: His name is the Lord.

In 1 Chronicles 16:31, we read: “Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Tell all the nations,'The Lord reigns!’” This message is very similar to Psalm 97:1. A variety of other times, Scripture points to the same reality. God alone is reigning! Thus there is reason for rejoicing and gladness! So, not only does knowing and remembering that the Lord reigns bring rest and peace, as Charles Spurgeon suggested, but it also is great reason for joy in our souls. For God is in charge! And God is good. He is loving, just, righteous, and kind. He knows all things! Nothing is a surprise to Him. And since He reigns, we can stay calm. When trials come — and they will come — we don’t have to fret and stress. When the news is bad, when life is sad, when chaos is so pervasive, whatever the circumstances may be…it's the perfect time to remember, The Lord is over all and orchestrating a magnificent story for His glory in His goodness.

Today, let’s remember The One who is King. His name is the Lord. He is graciously guiding. He is powerfully leading. He is lovingly overseeing. He reigns! What a gift. Let's be glad.

Cheer up, friends!

-Scott