The preachers quoted here describe providence as God seeing to things beforehand and governing every detail of life, including the actions and thoughts of people. They say it often works unseen, and that it must be read as a whole and not by its separate parts.
Providence is God's continuing care and rule over what he has made. The word comes from the Latin for seeing ahead, and matches Abraham's name for the place where God supplied the ram: Jehovah-jireh, the LORD will see to it (Genesis 22:14).1 The Westminster Shorter Catechism gives the classic definition: "God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions."2
Preserving: the Son is "upholding all things by the word of his power" (Hebrews 1:3), and "by him all things consist" (Colossians 1:17). "The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season" (Psalm 145:15). Jesus pointed to the birds: "your heavenly Father feedeth them" (Matthew 6:26).
Governing: "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). "The very hairs of your head are all numbered" (Matthew 10:30). The Heidelberg Catechism draws the comfort from this: "all things come, not by chance" but from a Father's hand.3
The Bible's stories show providence at work through ordinary events. Joseph, sold by his brothers, could later say, "God did send me before you to preserve life" (Genesis 45:5). Ruth's "hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz" (Ruth 2:3). The book of Esther never mentions God's name, yet turns on Mordecai's question, "who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14).
Providence includes hard things. Scripture does not say that all things are good but that "all things work together for good to them that love God" (Romans 8:28).
The right response is trust and not speculation. Providence is to be traced with gratitude afterwards more than predicted beforehand, and it never replaces the plain commands of Scripture as the rule for what to do.
- Strong's Hebrew 7200, râʼâh: "to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and...".
- Westminster Assembly, Westminster Shorter Catechism, "What are God's works of providence?".
- Various, The Heidelberg Catechism, "Question 27 What dost thou mean by the providence of God?".
In their own words
Each line below is quoted exactly from a sermon on this site. Follow the link to hear or read it where it was said.
God's providence is he sees to it beforehand.
Warren Wiersbe
in You Don't Have to Quit
Listen at 10:35
The providence of God is something that governs all of the actions of men, even their thoughts.
S. Lewis Johnson
in (Genesis) 56 - Joseph Prepared by Providence in Pharaoh's Prison
Listen at 6:06
Providence is one and you must not look at its separate parts.
C.H. Spurgeon
in God's Providence
Read in context
Providence is working secretly, invisibly to lead two people together.
Keith Malcomson
in Silver Threads of Providence
Listen at 21:07
The providence of God is manifest in every detail of this man's life.
J. Vernon McGee
in (Genesis) Genesis 39 Introduction
Listen at 1:41
What Scripture says
- Romans 8:28 all things work together for good to them that love God
- Genesis 45:5 God sent me before you to preserve life
- Proverbs 16:9 a man's heart devises his way, but the LORD directs his steps
- Matthew 10:29-30 the very hairs of your head are all numbered
- Hebrews 1:3 upholding all things by the word of his power
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