This time it comes from a book I've been reading recently, Desiring God, by John Piper.
The evil Satan causes is only by the permission of God. Therefore, Job is not wrong to see it as ultimately from the hand of God. It would be unbiblical and irreverent to attribute to Satan (or to sinful man) the power to frustrate the designs of God.
-John Piper, Desiring God
This book in general has been challenging, and stretching. This particular chapter is in regards to sovereignty. Although I'm no biblical scholar, nor Christian expert, I can't find evidence to refute Piper's view of sovereignty.
Right before reading this chapter, I was thinking about what it means to maintain free-will, but also live under a sovereign God. My conclusion (at the time), is that in giving us free-will, God must have given up a degree of His sovereignty. This does not mean that God does not have power over everything, but has chosen to give it up in some regard.
However, this is not consistent when looking at the Bible on a much larger scale. For example, a look at the definitions of names in Genesis 5 reveal a prophecy pointing to Jesus. I mean, we think we name kids, but even that is in God's hands. It's such a testament to God's sovereignty, and how small we are in comparison to God. To somehow give us free-will, but ultimately be in control of EVERYTHING is so... beyond my comprehension.
The designs of God are everlasting, and will not- no, CANNOT be frustrated. To truly believe in the omnipotence, and omniscience of God, there is little room for a different view of sovereignty according to the oh-so-limited reach of my intellect/knowledge.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." -Isaiah 55:8-9
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