Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Providence of God

After the Lord God created the heavens and the earth, He did not abandon or take away His care from His creation, allowing it to survive on its own. He continues to be involved in people's lives and in caring for His creation. He did not simply design the world, do what was necessary to get it to start working, and is now letting it slowly run down like a clock until it stops working. Instead, He is the loving Father who cares for what He has created. God's continual care for His creation and His people is called His "providence". Some of the most important things that this term implies is God's provision, oversight and personal involvement. But a most important part of God's providential care is intervention into the history of humankind to change or influence the course of events.

What is Providence?

There are at least three aspects to God's providence. 1. Preservation: By His power God preserves, or maintains, the world He has created (Psalm 36:6). God's preserving power is accomplished through His Son, Jesus Christ, who "is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" (Col. 1:17). Christ's power holds together even the very smallest particles of life. 2. Provision: Not only does God preserve the world that He created, but He also provide for the needs of the creatures upon the world. When God created the world, He created the seasons and gave food for humans and animals. After the flood had destroyed the earth, God renewed His promise to provide with these words, "as long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease" (Gen. 8:22). God's care for humankind covers not only their physical needs, but also their spiritual needs. The Bible reveals that God shows a special love and care for His own people - those who choose to follow Him. God values each of us individually. 3. Government: In addition to preserving and providing for His creation, God also rules the world. Since God is sovereign, the events of history happen only as He allows. At times, He directly intervenes to accomplish His purposes and to reveal Himself to people. But until God finishes and fulfills history, He has limited His own supreme power and rule in this world. Scripture states that satan is "the god of this age" (2 Co. 4:4) and exercises considerable control while evil is still rampant in the world. This is, the world is currently in rebellion against God and, as a result, it has become a slave to satan (Rom. 6:16). But keep in mind that this limitation that God has put upon Himself is only temporary. He has already determined the time when He will destroy satan and all the forces of evil (Rev. 19:20).

Why is there suffering?: The Bible reveals that God's providence is not simply an abstract concept but one that affects our everyday lives in a sinful world that has defied God and gone its own way. Everyone experiences suffering at time and asks, "Why?" Such experiences raise questions about the reality of evil and its effect on God's plan.

God allows humans to experience the consequences of the sin that entered the world at Adam's and Eve's fall. Not only do we suffer because of our sins but as the result of other's sins. God wants us always to remember that consequences are the certain results that come because of the sinful choices humanity makes.

Suffering in the world occurs because satan is permitted to do his work by blinding people's minds, deceiving them and controlling their lives.  The fact that God allows suffering does not mean that He causes the evil that happens to us or that He is personally and directly responsible for all of life's tragedies. God never acts to bring about or cause evil or ungodliness to happen. But He sometimes permits it, directs it and overrules it in order to carry out His plans, test people's loyalty to Him and bring people to a point of recognizing or turning to Him. Whatever happens, God will still work everything out for the good of those who are faithful to Him.

How does God's providence affect us? To some extent, God's general providence and care over creation affect both the righteous and the unrighteous. However, in order for us to experience God's special care and direction in our lives, the Bible reveals that we have certain responsibilities. God's specific providence extends to those who obey God and fulfill His desires and purposes. Those who honor God and trust Him to direct their lives completely have the promise that God will guide them in the right way. Those who follow God must stay aware of how He wants to use and direct them as they reach out to others with His life-giving message.

God works in all things for the good of those who love, trust, and submit to Him by faith in Christ. God responds to and cares for us. Our sincere prayers and persistent faith keep looking to God, who will bring us constant help. Through prayer and dependence on God, we experience His peace, we gain strength and we receive His mercy, grace and help in times of need. We can pray in faith for ourselves and for others.

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