Monday, April 10, 2006

Providence: Revisited

The Westminster Shorter Catechism states that God executes "His decrees in the works of creation and providence," and His "works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions."(Q. 8 & 11)

Besides reading the book 1776 by David MacCullough (see my review here), I've been struck by God's providential works that I see and hear about. For example, a friend related to me how she's seeing God's providential Hand work in her life as professional connections she has made years ago are coming around full circle. There was no way she could have known that the person she assisted with research a few years ago is aiding her search for a post-doctoral position, but God governed her actions, her associates actions, the time, the place, the conditions, the weather, etc., etc., etc. you get the point. As Ps. 103:19 states,

The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.(NASB)

As believers in the one true God, my friend and I can take comfort in the fact that God is actively 'preserving and governing' our lives and the world around us. "Bless the LORD, O my soul!"