the best is yet to be

1. the sovereignty of God in suffering

the LORD gives, and the LORD takes away.

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." - Job 1:21 (NIV)

2. the sovereignty of God in singleness

the LORD puts to sleep, and the LORD awakens.

"The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

"Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.

"But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

"The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

"The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." - Genesis 2:18-25 (NIV)

3. the sovereignty of God in salvation

the LORD puts to death, and the LORD brings back to life - eternal life.

"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him." - Acts 2:22-24 (NIV)

4. the sovereignty of God in sanctification

the LORD takes away our hearts of stone, and the LORD gives us hearts of flesh - hearts after His own.

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4 (NIV)