Providence
Today I want to talk about God – shouldn’t surprise you since we are in church
• He’s a being that the more you know the more you don’t know
• God is knowable but incomprehensible
• We will never totally understand everything about God but that shouldn’t keep us from knowing what we can about him
• Jesus says that knowing God is eternal life (John 17:3)
What I want to talk about his morning falls into that incomprehensible category. I want to talk about a teaching about God that is called Providence.
Before I talk about that I want to just briefly summarize some general beliefs about God
• Atheism – there is no God – he cannot exists – nature explains everything
• Agnosticism – we just don’t have enough evidence for either verdict – hung jury
• Deism – God created and no leaves everything to operate – God does not interact with creation – sometimes describes as a God who wound up a watch and is just letting it play out – he designed it to run and its running – God is the divine watchmaker but does not interfere
• Theism – God created and is still active in creation.
o Most of your world religions would fall in this category
o God speaks through scriptures, prophets, miracles
o Christianity falls into this category
o God spoke to the patriarchs
o Chose the nation of Israel
o Spoke through the prophets
o Influenced/used nations
o Ultimately becomes one of us in Jesus Christ
o Present with us through his Holy Spirit
We believe that without doubt God is intervening. Most obviously we believe in miracles – obvious indications that God is not just sitting back. But the question I want us to consider is, “Is God working in more subtle ways? Is he interacting with the world in ways we may not even notice?” Most Christians would say “yes” to that question and a term that we use to describe that kind of interacting is Providence.
Definitions of Providence:
God is actively related to and involved in the creation at each moment.
The continuing action of God by which he preserves in existence the creation which he has brought into being and guides it to his intended purposes.
As opposed to miracles, providence, while supernatural in nature, are relatively common and hence not to conspicuous or spectacular.
May not even be observable except in hindsight.
(Definitions adapted from Introducing Christian Doctrine, Millard Erickson and Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem)
What are some examples we find in Scripture?
Creation itself is being held together by God
Colossians 1:15–17 (NIV) — 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Hebrews 1:1–3 (NIV) — 1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
• There seems to be some ongoing oversight of creation. Not only has the universe been set in motion there still some maintaining and preserving force God is exerting on it to keep it going.
• ILL – Some power tools have a lock button when you start the machine to keep it running. Others you need to continue pressing the button. The universe seems to be more the latter than the former. God is still exerting control over the universe.
• We can give thanks to God each day for a new day – praise him for the beauty of creation as he sustains it.
God’s involvement in the affairs of nations
Job 12:23 (NIV) — 23 He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them.
Acts 17:26 (NIV) — 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
Daniel 2:21 (NIV) — 21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
Daniel 4:24–25 (NIV) — 24 “This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.
Proverbs 21:1 (NIV) — 1 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.
God is not a passive observer in the political affairs of human beings. He is an active participant.
God’s activity among creatures
Psalm 104:21 (NIV) — 21 The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
Psalm 104:27–28 (NIV) — 27 All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. 28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.
Psalm 147:9 (NIV) — 9 He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.
Matthew 10:29 (NIV) — 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.
He is aware of the animals, cares for them, provides for them. Don’t you ever wonder how animals know how to migrate? It could be evolutionary conditioning or it could be the care of the creator.
God is at work in the lives of people
Psalm 139:16 (NIV) — 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Matthew 5:44–45 (NIV) — 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Genesis 50:20 (NIV) — 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
God is aware of our lives. He is aware of our days. He provides for us. He even seems to influence events to accomplish his will.
This is where it gets to the incomprehensible section.
• If God is working, then do I have free will?
• If God has everything planned, then can’t I just sit back?
• Does the doctrine of providence lead to passivity and determinism?
These are very legitimate concerns and have occupied the minds of theologians since the beginning of Christianity. Keep in mind the Bible also teaches us that we have choices and we are responsible for those choices; we have free will; we are called to carry out his work. That’s not the focus of this lesson, but I see it in there.
Let me share a quote:
(God is working in all things but) he does so in such a way that somehow he upholds our ability to make willing, responsible choices that have real and eternal results and for which we are held accountable. Exactly how God combines his providential control with our willing and significant choices Scripture does not explain to us. But rather them deny one aspect or the other (simply because we cannot explain how both can be true), we should accept both in an attempt to be faithful to the teaching of all Scripture.
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (pp. 321-322)
What do we do with this mystery?
We commit ourselves to prayer
James 4:2 (NIV) — 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.
John 16:24 (NIV) — 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
We don’t stop asking. We don’t stop petitioning. We don’t stop pleading to God.
James 5:16–18 (NIV) — 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
“Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscle of omnipotence.”
? Charles H. Spurgeon
We bring our requests to God and trust he will work.
We can have confidence even in evil times
Genesis 50:20 (NIV) — 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Granted, God’s providence may take years to unfold as we see in the story of Joseph but we continue to trust.
Job 1:20–22 (NIV) — 20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 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.” 22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
God never does evil or is to be blamed for evil, but he can use evil for his purposes. The crucifixion of Christ is the ultimate proof of that.
Even in evil times God is at work.
We can live a life of trust
Matthew 6:26 (NIV) — 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 6:31–32 (NIV) — 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
1 Peter 1:6–7 (NIV) — 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) — 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Ephesians 1:11 (NIV) — 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
Romans 8:28 (NIV) — 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
• God is a God who plans and works, not simply an absentee deity or a bystander.
• I wish I could tell you more. I wish I could tell you how God is working in your life. I can’t, but Scripture clearly tells me he is.
• This I know – God is good. God is love. God is sovereign. He is incomprehensible, that’s for sure, but he is worthy of our trust.
Many of you older Christians remember this song:
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform.
He plants his footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
You fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding ev'ry hour.
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow'r.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan his work in vain.
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
