Psalm 103:19
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his Kingdom rules overall.
Reflection: Question #9
Written By: Pastor Jesse Caro
Question: What are God’s works of providence?
Answer: God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.
Dear reader, buckle up. This gets deep. There are some theological concepts that are very basic (i.e. Jesus loves me, I am a sinner). And then there are some that require some mental energy… some deep thought. The providence of God is one of these ideas. What is providence? Mirriam Webster defines it as, “divine guidance or care. God conceived as the power sustaining and guiding human destiny.” Some people would use the word “sovereignty” as a synonym for “providence.” Now, while the ideas overlap, they are not the exact same. Let’s try to unpack this in basic terms…
God is a governor… “governing all his creatures, and their actions.” God has a Kingdom, and he is ruling and reigning. The Catechism says “governing.” How does he do this? What does it mean he “governs our actions?” Well, his Kingdom has rules… ways that we should live. These rules govern our actions, because he loves us. He wants us to stay safe, so he creates barriers and walls for us. These walls “govern” how we live… they govern our behavior for our benefit. They “preserve” us from making catastrophic mistakes. Of course, we are free to jump over walls and barriers, disregarding the barriers. But thank God, he has made it clear for us what is good and what is bad. He has given us (because he loves us) rules to live by. This, in part, is God’s Providence.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for being a good governor over us, establishing a way of life for us to follow. May we do so to the glory of God.
