Illustrating God's Providence in Everyday Life and Preaching
God's providence refers to His ongoing preservation and governance of all things through secondary causes [2]. This divine care extends to the natural world, the animal kingdom, and the affairs of humanity, including individuals and their free actions [2]. The concept of providence is deeply rooted in biblical texts, illustrating God's active involvement in creation and history.
Scripture demonstrates God's providence in several ways:
- Preservation and Provision God preserves His creatures (Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 36:6; Matthew 10:29) and provides for them (Psalm 104:27-28; 136:25; 147:9; Matthew 6:26) [1]. This includes the special preservation of saints, whose very hairs are numbered (Psalm 91:11; Matthew 10:30) [1].
- Guidance and Protection God leads His people (Deuteronomy 8:2, 15; Isaiah 63:12), prospers them (Genesis 24:48, 56), protects them (Psalm 91:4; 140:7), and delivers them (Psalm 91:3; Isaiah 31:5) [1].
- Fulfillment of His Word God's providence ensures that His words come to pass (Numbers 26:65; Joshua 21:45; Luke 21:32-33) and orders the ways of men (Proverbs 16:9; 19:21) [1].
The works of the Lord, including His acts of creation, providence, and redemption, are considered "great" and "wonderful," designed to be remembered [10, 11]. Matthew Henry notes that God's glory is evident not only in the heavenly realm but also in the "steadiness of his government here in this lower world," as seen in the prophet Ezekiel's vision of the wheels [9].
Even afflictions can be understood as part of God's providential plan, serving various beneficial purposes. They can promote God's glory (John 9:1-3), exhibit His power and faithfulness (Psalm 34:19-20), teach His will (Psalm 119:71), turn people to Him (Deuteronomy 4:30-31), keep them from departing from Him (Job 34:31-32), lead them to prayer (Judges 4:3), and convince them of sin (Job 36:8-9) [3].
Preaching on God's providence often involves encouraging believers to "wait upon God" as the God of providence, salvation, and the giver of all temporal blessings [4]. This waiting includes seeking mercy, pardon, guidance, protection, and the fulfillment of His promises [4]. The Apostle Paul's ministry, for example, was a demonstration of God's grace and power, enabling him to preach the "unsearchable riches of Christ" to the Gentiles (Ephesians 3:8) [7]. John Gill, commenting on 2 Corinthians 9:13, highlights how the liberality of the Gentile churches, ministered by the apostles, caused the poor saints in Jerusalem to glorify God for their "professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ" [8]. This illustrates how human actions, guided by God's grace, contribute to His overarching providential plan and bring Him praise [5, 6].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Providence of God, The — Is his care over his works -- Ps 145:9. Is exercised in Preserving his creatures. -- Ne 9:6; Ps 36:6; Mt 10:29. Providing for his creatures. -- Ps 104:27,28; 136:25; 147:9; Mt 6:26. The special preservation of saints. -- Ps 37:28; 91:11; Mt 10:30. Prospering saints. -- Ge 24:48,56. Protecting saints. -- Ps 91:4; 140:7. Delivering saints. -- Ps 91:3; Isa 31:5. Leading saints. -- De 8:2,15; Isa 31:5. Leading saints. -- De 8:2,15; Isa 63:12. Bringing His words to pass. -- Nu 26:65; Jos 21:45; Lu 21:32,33. Ordering the ways of men. -- Pr 16:9; 19”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Providence — Literally means foresight, but is generally used to denote God's preserving and governing all things by means of second causes (Ps. 18:35; 63:8; Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). God's providence extends to the natural world (Ps. 104:14; 135:5-7; Acts 14:17), the brute creation (Ps. 104:21-29; Matt. 6:26; 10:29), and the affairs of men (1 Chr. 16:31; Ps. 47:7; Prov. 21:1; Job 12:23; Dan. 2:21; 4:25), and of individuals (1 Sam. 2:6; Ps. 18:30; Luke 1:53; James 4:13-15). It extends also to the free actions of men (Ex. 12:36; 1 Sam. 24:9-15; Ps. 33:14, 15; ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflictions Made Beneficial — In promoting the glory of God -- Joh 9:1-3; 11:3,4; 21:18,19. In exhibiting the power and faithfulness of God -- Ps 34:19,20; 2Co 4:8-11. In teaching us the will of God -- Ps 119:71; Isa 26:9; Mic 6:9. In turning us to God -- De 4:30,31; Ne 1:8,9; Ps 78:34; Isa 10:20,21; Ho 2:6,7. In keeping us from again departing from God -- Job 34:31,32; Isa 10:20; Eze 14:10,11. In leading us to seek God in prayer -- Jdj 4:3; Jer 31:18; La 2:17-19; Ho 5:14,15; Jon 2:1. In convincing us of sin -- Job 36:8,9; Ps 119:67; Lu 15:16-18. In leading us to con”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Waiting Upon God — As the God of providence -- Jer 14:22. As the God of salvation -- Ps 25:5. As the Giver of all temporal blessings -- Ps 104:27,28; Ps 145:15,16. For Mercy. -- Ps 123:2. Pardon. -- Ps 39:7,8. The consolation of Israel. -- Lu 2:25. Salvation. -- Ge 49:18; Ps 62:1,2. Guidance and teaching. -- Ps 25:5. Protection. -- Ps 33:20; 59:9,10. The fulfillment of His word. -- Hab 2:3. The fulfillment of His promises. -- Ac 1:4. Hope of righteous by faith. -- Ga 5:5. Coming of Christ. -- 1Co 1:7; 1Th 1:10. Is good -- Ps 52:9. God calls us to -- Zep 3:8. Exhortat”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Praise — God is worthy of -- 2Sa 22:4. Christ is worthy of -- Re 5:12. God is glorified by -- Ps 22:23; 50:23. Offered to Christ -- Joh 12:13. Acceptable through Christ -- Heb 13:15. Is due to God on account of His majesty. -- Ps 96:1,6; Isa 24:14. His glory. -- Ps 138:5; Eze 3:12. His excellency. -- Ex 15:7; Ps 148:13. His greatness. -- 1Ch 16:25; Ps 145:3. His holiness. -- Ex 15:11; Isa 6:3. His wisdom. -- Da 2:20; Jude 1:25. His power. -- Ps 21:13. His goodness. -- Ps 107:8; 118:1; 136:1; Jer 33:11. His mercy. -- 2Ch 20:21; Ps 89:1; 118:1-4; 136:1-26. His loving-k”
- King James Version “[KJV] 2 Corinthians 9:13 — Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 3:8 (BSB) — Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,”
- 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 9:13: Whiles by the experiment of this ministration,.... That is, the poor saints at Jerusalem having a specimen, a proof, an experience of the liberality of the Gentile churches ministered to them by the apostles, first, they glorify God; by giving thanks unto him, acknowledging him to be the author of all the grace and goodness which they, and others, were partakers of; particularly for your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel of Christ is the doctrine of grace, life, and salvation by Christ, of which he is the author, as God, the subject m”
- Ezekiel (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Ezekiel 1:15: The prophet is very exact in making and recording his observations concerning this vision. And here we have, I. The notice he took of the wheels, Eze 1:15-21. The glory of God appears not only in the splendour of his retinue in the upper world, but in the steadiness of his government here in this lower world. Having seen how God does according to his will in the armies of heaven, let us now see how he does according to it among the inhabitants of the earth; for there, on the earth, the prophet saw the wheels, Eze 1:15. As he beheld the living creatures, and was c”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 111:2: The works of the Lord are great,.... His works of creation are great, being made out of nothing, are the effects of great power, and the produce of great wisdom, and which greatly display the glory of their Maker; the works of providence are great, which are daily wrought, especially such as concern the church and people of God, for whom he does great things, whereof they have reason to be glad and praise his name; the miracles of Christ he wrought here on earth were surprisingly great, some of them such as had not keen known from the creation of the world; and yet g”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 111:4: He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered,.... All his works are marvellous ones; his works of creation, that they should rise out of nothing at a word of command; his works of providence, which have such a depth of wisdom and knowledge in them, are unsearchable and past finding out; and his works of redemption and grace; and these are so wrought by him, and such methods taken to continue the memory of them, that they cannot well be forgotten: all things in nature are as they were from the beginning; the sun, moon, and stars, keep their course and station; co”