Providence

The design and plan of the Creator.  God’s sovereignty. Destiny. The hand of God.  These all convey a concept as old as the human race. The idea these terms impart can be summed up in one word, providence.

I first became familiar with the word providence as I studied American history. I was aware of how often the Founding Fathers referred to it. They ascribed pretty much everything that happened in their lives to providence. If you take a few minutes and look it up you will see for yourself this is true. Whether they were outright Christians or simple deists, the overwhelming majority acknowledged the overarching activity of God.

To tell the truth I was a little annoyed at their reference to providence instead of mentioning God directly. I didn’t understand why they did so and, while I realize it’s a word-usage technicality, that’s the way I viewed it. Recent events, however, have taught me to understand why providence is such a powerful word and why they chose it.

A close family member was just found to have cancer. While cancer is a bad thing on its own there are different types, with some forms being more devastating than others. Unfortunately, the devastating kind is what they found.

We all know someone who has gone through a difficult time in their life. As a critical care nurse I have seen literally thousands of people forced to face the gravest of circumstances. I have seen many times when heartbreak entered the scene, yet through it all it was never really personal. Now it is.

The death of my father-in-law was a tragic event which affected me, but I was able to handle it well. He was older and had experienced a full life. But this is different. My wife astutely observed that this event should serve as a wakeup call to each of us. It has caused many of us to evaluate our lives, assessing what’s truly important versus what is just a distraction. I’ve used this time to contemplate my life, and that’s when the true meaning of the word providence became clearer to me.

I looked back on my education, employment, businesses and the churches I have been involved with. I thought about all the places we have lived, the people we’ve known and the myriad of decisions which have brought me, brought us, to this very place. Through it all I see providence.

The people that are involved with this situation have been prepared beforehand to positively impact what happens during the weeks and months ahead. Our current home, jobs and our affiliation with believers all add up to one thing; the working of providence in all our lives.

Providence is not simply ‘the hand of God.’ It’s not just destiny, either. It is much more than that! It is the purposeful orchestration of the Creator in the lives of the created. It is the unfolding of events and circumstances which bring us to moments like this. It is the fulfillment of His plan and purpose in our lives, individually and collectively. And, while we may not understand the end of these things, we can know the One Who does.

Providence is the activity of God in our lives, bringing things to pass which are meant to encourage us to acknowledge His involvement. Once we see His involvement we can then learn to trust Him for all the things that go on in our lives – whether we think they are good or bad.

The story of Joseph is an example of providence.

The founding of this country is an example of providence.

The situation our family now faces is an example of providence.

I can see how the past has a direct and important influence on everything that’s happening right now.

While we are using this time to seek God I am encouraged by this Scripture;

Ps 37:23-24

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.

Can God heal? Of course He can. Will we see that healing manifested in this instance? While I hope that’s the case I simply don’t know. However, the one thing I do know is that, through it all, God is faithful. Nothing takes Him by surprise, and nothing thwarts His design.

Nothing.

We have the ample evidence of providence to bear this out. This concept is true in the world, in our nation, in our family, and in our individual lives. When things seem to be spinning out of control we have two options. We can doubt and curse God and our situation, or we can trust in Him to continue working His plan. Either way, God is still at work in completing His plan, whether or not we understand that fact.

The question is, will we believe in His providence or not?