Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases - Psalm 115:3

There was a season in my life when I felt like everything was falling apart. I was hopeless. I was in a very sad and dark space. I could not stop wondering where God was in all this. Was he quiet? Was he doing anything about this? Many questions popped into my mind. It was as if a friend of mine knew what was going on in my head when they sent me this verse but God knew. Ever since that day, this has been my go-to verse. It has a way of calming me down. 

“Our God is in the heavens” 

Before everything else, these words put me in my place. God is up there, and I am here below. He is so big and I am small.  Although he has no visible shape, nor is he present with us in a bodily form, nor have we any image of him such as some who have their idols, yet he has a certain and glorious place of peculiar residence. He is in the highest heavens, clothed with infinite power and majesty. He controls the world and all its creatures. Spurgeon says our God is “where he should be; above the reach of mortal sneers, over-hearing all the vain janglings of men, but looking down with silent scorn upon the makers of babel” 

“He does whatever he pleases” 

He is not just sitting in the heavens with nothing to do. He sovereignly does whatever he pleases. No one corners Him or forces Him to do what He hates. He delights in whatever he does, he finds joy in whatever he does. 

This verse teaches me that nothing that happens in my life takes God by surprise, there is no chance or coincidence.  It is safe to trust Him. He is worthy of our loyalty. It is an honor to be called a child of this kind of God.

Here is a beautiful response by John Piper “So, let us stand in awe and wonder. And let us tremble that not only our praises of God’s sovereignty but also our salvation through the death of Christ for us, hang on this: “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever he pleases”.