Providence of God

What is Providence?

Encyclopedia of the Reformed Faith Providence of God

God’s preservation of creation, God’s cooperation with all created entities, and God’s guidance of all things toward God’s ultimate purposes and their highest good.

God continues to make the universe tick, one way the bible describes this is in Hebrews where it says that Christ is “sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Heb 1:3).

Everything that happens in the world is either allowed, forseen, or is directly caused by God.

God is the one who is working and directing the whole universe to ensure that His ultimate will is accomplished. Our saying “that everything happens for a reason” is true because it is God who is working to accomplish His will.

Is it hard to believe that God is consistently making the world go round? Why do you think this is difficult for us?

How does it make you feel hearing that God either allows or causes everything that happens throughout history? Why do you think we have trouble with this characteristic of God?

How do you feel knowing that God is ultimately working through everything to accomplish His will and that He does everything for His glory?

Where does the gospel fit in to all of this? And how is this good news?

Genesis 50:19-21

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 50

19 Then Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you planned evil against me, but God planned it for good, in order to do this—to keep many people alive—as it is today.

Romans 8:28-30

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 8

28 And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose, 29 because those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined, these he also called, and those whom he called, these he also justified, and those whom he justified, these he also glorified.

Despite where you come from or what you’ve been through, because of who God is, we can have hope.

More than that, the hardships that we go through, which we bring on ourselves, God promises that for those that he loves, they are for our good.

Finally, we have to realize this, many of us have been so unfaithful, and even done some terrible things, but despite all of that God still calls us to repent and follow Him.