Providence is More than a Hospital
Some time ago, the U. S. Census Bureau, in an effort to get us to fill out the statistical paper work, produced a catchy add. It included the slogan, “It’s your future. Don’t leave it blank.” That tiny phrase stuck with me long after the federal computers had digested my data. What of my future? How can I avoid leaving it blank? For a Christian, this is a question of guidance, God’s will for our lives. And much worry sprouts around the issue. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t hear a serious query about God’s will for a person’s life and future, especially among young adults. It is a healthy concern. People should want to know and do God’s will, to see his direction and follow it. Dr. Garry Friesen of Multnomah Bible College, who wrote a very thick book on knowing God’s will, made the following comment: “Interest in the subject of guidance is consistently high. The demand for magazine articles and books on the subject continues unabated. People continue to seek guidance on guidance.”
Don’t you wish the Lord would do for us what he occasionally did for selected biblical characters—send an angel or a vision to give us instructions? Take the Christmas account for instance. Gabriel came to Mary and told her what was about to happen. He visited Joseph just in time to prevent a divorce in the messianic family. Why don’t we get dramatic intervention like that? It would make life so much easier. We wouldn’t have to agonize in prayer, think hard about priorities, sort and sift desires and temptations, learn to think and feel like Jesus. We could be puppets…
Have you ever noticed, though, the way the Father arranged for Jesus’ birthplace? One might expect an angelic visitation for this important event, since the prophets are clear that Messiah must be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). But no “supernatural” intervention occurred! Instead, there was a Roman census. Luke 2:1-7 records that Augustus Caesar wanted a head-count for tax purposes. All able-bodied adults had to return for a visit to their ancestral homes, which for Joseph and Mary meant Bethlehem. So, the Lord used simple providence to move the Messiah’s mom and step-dad to the right place at the right time for the fulfillment of His plan. Why would God leave such a critical appointment in his itinerary to providence rather than a direct intervention by his trusted assistant, Gabriel? Because Providence is as reliable a guide as an angelic encounter and it encourages us to pray, think, and step out in faith.
The word “Providence” comes from two Latin roots: pro, meaning “before”, and video, meaning “to see, to comprehend, to know” It has come to refer to the active, divine wisdom of arranging things beyond our control (and even in our control) in such a way as to put us where we need to be at the right time and in the right way (Rom. 8:28). It is God “providing” beforehand what is necessary to accomplish his direct will. And he seems to prefer this more natural method of guidance over “doing surgery” on time and space, intervening with miracles and visitations.
This should comfort those of us who worry about the future. Our Lord sees it beforehand and has promised to arrange it for our highest good and his eternal purposes. All we need to do is respond to life with humble faith and a desire to obey (in other words, seek first his kingdom). We need not worry about missing his will by accident, which is why Jesus said not to be anxious about tomorrow (Matt.6:34). He did not say to live irresponsibly, but to trust implicitly his providential care. So, we live for him to the best of our limited ability, and trust that he is graciously shaping our life the way he wants it. Each of our lives is hand-crafted by him (Eph.2:8-10), including the deepest griefs, sorrows, and troubles of this temporary age.
Looking at our world, we might (and often do) fret about the future. Yet, we who know the Lord should remember that it is not our future alone, but his—and he has not left it blank.
Just a Thought.
Pastor Rick
