“Am I only a God nearby,”
declares the Lord,
“and not a God far away?
Who can hide in secret places
so that I cannot see them?”
declares the Lord.
“Do not I fill heaven and earth?”
declares the Lord.
- Jeremiah 23:23-24
and said:
“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.”
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
- Job 1:21-22
The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.”
- Job 2:6
“Q. What do you understand by the providence of God?
A. God’s providence is his almighty and ever present power, whereby, as with his hand, he still upholds heaven and earth and all creatures, and so governs them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, food and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, indeed, all things, come to us not by chance but by his fatherly hand.
Jer 23:23, 24; Acts 17:24-28.
Heb 1:3.
Jer 5:24; Acts 14:15-17; Jn 9:3; Prov 22:2.
Prov 16:33.
Mt 10:29.
- Heidelberg Catechism, Question 27
Q. What does it benefit us to know that God has created all things and still upholds them by his providence?
We can be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity, and with a view to the future we can have a firm confidence in our faithful God and Father that no creature shall separate us from his love; for all creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will they cannot so much as move.
Job 1:21, 22; Ps 39:10; Jas 1:3.
Deut 8:10; 1 Thess 5:18.
Ps 55:22; Rom 5:3-5; 8:38, 39.
Job 1:12; 2:6; Prov 21:1; Acts 17:24-28.
- Heidelberg Catechism, Question 28
The Message
When you read the writings and speeches of George Washington, you rarely see the word “God.” Instead, he expresses is faith in God by speaking of Providence.
In his day, everyone knew what he meant, but today, they might say that Washington believed in some strange power like the “force” in the Star Wars movies. Nothing could be further from the truth when seeing how Washington conducted himself.
But at the same time, we see strange things that align perfectly, and we call it chance, fate, or dumb luck.
I heard a scientist speak about believing in dumb luck and you would not last in the scientific world very long – unless you believe in evolution, and that is not real science anyway. They attribute science to it, and when the science they attribute to evolution does not fit, they pretend that went away or they call upon some magical force or chaos theory. Thus, not real science.
But Providence is that series of God-made coincidences (GMC) that open doors that would not otherwise be open or close doors that God did not wish for us to enter. In other words, at times God leads us in the right path in spite of our efforts through His Providence.
It’s the old New Hampshire joke. The city slicker drives up to the farmer and asks how to get back to the city. The farmer, or fahmah as the joke goes, says that you go down to the fork in the road and you turn left, and then … no that won’t do the bridge is out. Well you go back to the fork and you go right, and then … no, the creek, or crick as the story goes, is at flood stage. Well, you could turn around, no, that won’t work either. Finally the farmer scratches his head and says, “Well, you just can’t get there from here.”
Trying to go through life without acknowledging God’s providence is impossible for the believer. God orchestrates everything.
The others either think they are doing it on their own or it is all done by dumb luck.
But then, how do the pieces fit together so well?
And now let us sing.
Here is All Creatures of Our God and King sung by Maranatha Music.
Closing Prayer
Dear Lord,
We believe in You. God, You provide for us, and You love each of us. What a combination! How could we ever falter, but we do. We find every excuse to wander, and yet, in our wandering, You are there providing signposts that lead us back to You. Thank You for Your Providence. And help us stay on the straight and narrow way.
In Thy name we pray,
Amen
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
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