God’s Good Providence
July 24, 2009
All providence is God’s good providence, pleasant or not. Providence is a word some people use to describe only pleasant things that happen in life. In certain circles, people are reticent to apply the term to events that are less than welcome. They say, “In the Lord’s providence the repair truck pulled up just then.” They would not say, “In the Lord’s providence our car broke down in the middle of nowhere.” Often an unconscious way of speaking, nevertheless, it may reveal something about the speaker.
First, it is an indication of a less than Biblical view of God. It points to a God whose sovereignty is a “limited sovereignty.” Like England’s constitutional monarchs, it envisions one whose rule has been diminished. Such a God is responsible for good health, safety, and cuddly babies. He is, however, far from burning trade towers, ill health, and stillbirths. Of course, such a God is unknown in Scripture.
Second, while such a perspective has a vastly diminished view of God, it has an enormously inflated view of self. For me to judge providence as bad I must pretend to virtual omniscience. I must be able to see and judge all the outcomes and all the concurrent events associated with that event that I judge as evil. That’s why the Biblical view of providence is simply God governing all His creatures and all their actions. I can rest, confident that God loves me, and in all things intends good for “those that love God and are the called according to His purpose.”
That’s useful to remember in witnessing. How often unbelievers throw in the teeth of the Christ that old doggerel, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” God cannot be omnipotent and good. Either He wishes good for His own and is unable to perform it; or He has the power, but does not desire their good.
Of course, such a statement is rooted in pride. It sets men’s knowledge of events against God’s. It is tantamount to a claim of virtual omniscience. Yet, as God’s children, we have found, “Whate’er my God ordains is right.”
It’s also important to remember this through the ups and downs of daily life. Some providence may be more pleasant than others. Some for a time seems harder.
My mind can’t help but travel to what recently seemed a providence difficult to bear. One of the buses promised for our use for VBS and camp wasn’t ready. This, my friends, is not a pleasant discovery the Sunday night before VBS. All the parents who had been promised bus transportation were very understanding and most were able to come. Unbelievably, this year’s attendance exceeded last year’s. And then, despite all efforts, the bus simply could not be ready to take our young people to camp. For some, this was a particular hardship. And yet, after camp the testimonies were not only about a spiritual, exciting, and profitable camp, but also about the way the Lord opened the doors for the most unexpected opportunities to witness to Christ.
Providence, God’s governing of my life and yours, is all encompassing. Some acts of providence are more immediately welcome than others. Some are more pleasant than others. But all acts of providence are the result of the work of our Heavenly Father, all are good! As the hymn writer says, “He is my God; though dark my road, He holds me that I cannot fall: wherefore to Him I leave it all.”
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