October 3, 1995
My father lamented that his advancing age made him unable to go to Scotland with us to the Leslie Clan Reunion last June. However, about two weeks after we returned, providence brought a little bit of Scotland to him.
One evening, my husband and I decided to run some errands. As we left our condominium complex, Bob spotted two men walking up the hill towards a small playground area. He said, “Would you look at that!” They were carrying bagpipes.
By the time we stopped and walked up the hill, they were facing each other, toes tapping and playing their pipes. We waited until they finished, then told them about our trip and my dad. I asked if they would like to give an old Scot a real thrill. They obliged and in a few minutes my parents enjoyed bagpipe music under their bedroom window.
Some people would say it was a remarkable coincidence — which it was. Who ever “happens upon” pipers in a city the size of Edmonton? However, it was also an example of the loving providence of God. He knows my dad’s heart for the pipes and He knows how to let an elderly man know that He loves him and wants him to enjoy his old age.
Job, a familiar Old Testament character, said: “You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.”
God sometimes uses strange means to show kindness and demonstrate His care. Years ago in Banff, our youngest son, then a preschooler, followed a costumed character down the street. When he turned to come back to the family, he missed our location and became lost. We went the direction of the man in the costume not knowing Scott was going the other way.
In our search, we spotted a young man with orange hair done in a huge, curly Afro ball. We asked if he had seen a small, blond boy. He hadn’t, but took pity and started looking. He searched until he found him and returned him to us.
Another time, we were camping in Jasper and a black bear wandered into our site at night. The bear began rushing up to our tent, growling threats and terrifying our family. Within minutes, we were rescued by four men returning to an adjacent campsite. They had been drinking that evening, enough to be braver than we were, and chased the bear with rocks and loud threats of their own. Both incidents showed God’s providence.
The Psalms are filled with praises for the Lord’s loving nurture and protective care. He may use ordinary circumstances or situations some people call chance, fate or luck. In fact, the dictionary uses terms like that to define providence, but these concepts miss the biblical idea.
God’s providence is more like foresight and prudence. God sees the end from the beginning, just like the pilot of an airplane can see highway #2 from Edmonton to Calgary. He looks at what lies ahead and, in sovereign power, brings in other elements that suit His purposes. He can influence pipers to choose a playground to practice in at 7:00 p.m. on a certain night. He can influence an unconventional looking young man to search places that frantic parents do not think to look. He can also influence night time revelers to go back to their campsite just when they need to be there.
God can also use angels to protect His people. Some will scoff but those who experience unusual acts of divine care sometimes see no other explanation. Besides, who says angels wear halos and play harps? While I’m not suggesting they drink beer, but maybe they have orange hair and occasionally trade in their harps to play bagpipes.
Showing posts with label providence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label providence. Show all posts
Friday, September 16, 2016
Monday, June 6, 2016
God’s Sovereignty in Human Affairs .................. Parables 441
October 4, 1994
A pastor struggled with feeling insignificant. He thought his work was futile and had no practical value. He even wondered if God remembered who he was. Despondent, he asked his congregation for a sabbatical.
During his holiday, he walked past a phone booth. The phone began ringing and since no one was around, he answered it. An operator came on the line saying it was a person-to-person call for Pastor... and said his name. Startled the pastor said, “This is me; speaking.”
The caller began talking. She had once seen him on a television program and wanted to get his advice. She Googled the phone number and was not sure she had written it correctly. She was glad he was there to take her call. Could he please help her?
After a few minutes of counseling, the woman was greatly encouraged. She made an appointment to visit his office and the amazed pastor hung up the phone. He then realized no matter how he felt, God not only remembered who he was, but could use him whenever He needed him, no matter where he went!
I heard this incredible story from a person who heard it from the pastor. Some might think it an extraordinary coincidence but the pastor did not receive it that way. He believed God used those odd circumstances to assure him that he was significant; he did have value in God’s plans.
Perhaps divine providence does include unusual events like wrong numbers that turn out to be right ones; however God provided a more definite demonstration of our value to Him, one that our fluctuating feelings or circumstances cannot change.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8).
God says Christ died for us when we were powerless. We had no value to Him because in our sinful condition, we cannot do His will and our actions are simply counterproductive to His plan. However, when Jesus died for us, God could forgive every sin. Not only that, He works in those who believe to make us like Christ, powerful and useful, able to do our part to build His kingdom.
Further, Romans 8 says no one can condemn us because Christ died for our sins. More than that, He was raised to life and is at the right hand of God interceding for us. When we make mistakes, we are forgiven.
The Bible says nothing, including negative feelings about ourselves, critical attitudes from others, whatever we do or do not do, and certainly whatever anyone else does or does not do, can ever separate us from His love. We can cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us.
The worth of a commodity is determined by how much someone is willing to pay for it, practical value or not. Some items like old coins, sports cards, and comic books have little practical value but those who want such things will pay thousands of dollars for them.
Our worth could be measured by its practical value but a more stable measurement is the price Someone was willing to pay for us. When Jesus died, He established forever that we are people of great value to God.
A pastor struggled with feeling insignificant. He thought his work was futile and had no practical value. He even wondered if God remembered who he was. Despondent, he asked his congregation for a sabbatical.
During his holiday, he walked past a phone booth. The phone began ringing and since no one was around, he answered it. An operator came on the line saying it was a person-to-person call for Pastor... and said his name. Startled the pastor said, “This is me; speaking.”
The caller began talking. She had once seen him on a television program and wanted to get his advice. She Googled the phone number and was not sure she had written it correctly. She was glad he was there to take her call. Could he please help her?
After a few minutes of counseling, the woman was greatly encouraged. She made an appointment to visit his office and the amazed pastor hung up the phone. He then realized no matter how he felt, God not only remembered who he was, but could use him whenever He needed him, no matter where he went!
I heard this incredible story from a person who heard it from the pastor. Some might think it an extraordinary coincidence but the pastor did not receive it that way. He believed God used those odd circumstances to assure him that he was significant; he did have value in God’s plans.
Perhaps divine providence does include unusual events like wrong numbers that turn out to be right ones; however God provided a more definite demonstration of our value to Him, one that our fluctuating feelings or circumstances cannot change.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8).
God says Christ died for us when we were powerless. We had no value to Him because in our sinful condition, we cannot do His will and our actions are simply counterproductive to His plan. However, when Jesus died for us, God could forgive every sin. Not only that, He works in those who believe to make us like Christ, powerful and useful, able to do our part to build His kingdom.
Further, Romans 8 says no one can condemn us because Christ died for our sins. More than that, He was raised to life and is at the right hand of God interceding for us. When we make mistakes, we are forgiven.
The Bible says nothing, including negative feelings about ourselves, critical attitudes from others, whatever we do or do not do, and certainly whatever anyone else does or does not do, can ever separate us from His love. We can cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us.
The worth of a commodity is determined by how much someone is willing to pay for it, practical value or not. Some items like old coins, sports cards, and comic books have little practical value but those who want such things will pay thousands of dollars for them.
Our worth could be measured by its practical value but a more stable measurement is the price Someone was willing to pay for us. When Jesus died, He established forever that we are people of great value to God.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Coincidences? ................. Parables 219
(May 30, 1990)
For a couple of weeks a friend of mind kept silent about some mistreatment she was receiving from another person whose name happened to be Ms. Fox. My friend told me how God encouraged her through a sermon about “little foxes spoiling the vine...”
Just as I sat down to write this article, I thought, “I should get her permission (to say what I just said) before I begin.” At just that moment, the telephone rang and it was the same friend, calling to chat.
A few months ago, my brother and his wife took a vacation to the U.S. They stopped for a coffee at a service station in the Arizona desert. As they sat down, my sister-in-law’s father (also from Alberta) happened to walk in. Neither of them even knew the other was on vacation, never mind where.
An older lady, whose farm yard had the usual icy build-up all winter, fell and broke her hip -- but on a well-waxed community hall floor where there were literally hundreds of people immediately available to help her. Her husband said if she had slipped in their own driveway, he’d never have been able to get her inside out of the freezing temperatures by himself .
What do you think: coincidence... or providence? People use the term “coincidence” for events that seem to have some connection but appear to happen at the same time without any preliminary planning. Sometimes people call it “luck.” Providence is quite another term. It is less the idea of an accident and more the idea of “someone being in control.” The dictionary says “divine guidance or care,” with “God being the power behind human destiny.”
The sovereign providence of God is not an easy concept. If He can provide a hall full of caring people for a lady who broke her hip, could not He have provided that the fall didn’t happen in the first place? However, if mere chance determines who shows up in a coffee shop, or what preachers say in their sermons, why bother asking God to do anything? Prayer (and life) is meaningless if chance rules the world.
My mind is too small to grasp God’s supreme control, however this illustration helps me: Imagine all people in one giant playground. There is a fence around it and while the fence doesn’t control each and every movement of the children inside, it does contain them within its boundaries.
God does the same. He holds us within His boundaries. Like the children at play, we are free to make choices but not go outside the fence. Yet God is not passive like a fence. He also can involve Himself with our choices. Imagine two children trying to ride the same swing at the same time. He can intervene if it suits His purposes, or leave them to work it out.
In other words, He didn’t toss us into a bingo number cage and start turning the crank to see what falls out. Nor are we like chess pieces that cannot move unless He moves us. He lovingly keeps His eyes on every event and, by faith, “we know He works all things work together for our good . . .” (Romans 8:28), yet we are free within His boundaries.
With that concept, we can enjoy providence -- the marvelous, watchful care and intervention of God in our the lives. Let’s face it, if Someone wasn’t intervening, we’d have blown ourselves off the planet before now.
But what about coincidence? Do we have to fear (or hope) that things just happen? Is luck part of life?
Well, if it is, the Lord God is not surprised by chance. We may not understand everything that happens, but HE does. Because of His providence, when people say, “things have a way of working out...” we can be certain that a loving God is the One doing the working!
For a couple of weeks a friend of mind kept silent about some mistreatment she was receiving from another person whose name happened to be Ms. Fox. My friend told me how God encouraged her through a sermon about “little foxes spoiling the vine...”
Just as I sat down to write this article, I thought, “I should get her permission (to say what I just said) before I begin.” At just that moment, the telephone rang and it was the same friend, calling to chat.
A few months ago, my brother and his wife took a vacation to the U.S. They stopped for a coffee at a service station in the Arizona desert. As they sat down, my sister-in-law’s father (also from Alberta) happened to walk in. Neither of them even knew the other was on vacation, never mind where.
An older lady, whose farm yard had the usual icy build-up all winter, fell and broke her hip -- but on a well-waxed community hall floor where there were literally hundreds of people immediately available to help her. Her husband said if she had slipped in their own driveway, he’d never have been able to get her inside out of the freezing temperatures by himself .
What do you think: coincidence... or providence? People use the term “coincidence” for events that seem to have some connection but appear to happen at the same time without any preliminary planning. Sometimes people call it “luck.” Providence is quite another term. It is less the idea of an accident and more the idea of “someone being in control.” The dictionary says “divine guidance or care,” with “God being the power behind human destiny.”
The sovereign providence of God is not an easy concept. If He can provide a hall full of caring people for a lady who broke her hip, could not He have provided that the fall didn’t happen in the first place? However, if mere chance determines who shows up in a coffee shop, or what preachers say in their sermons, why bother asking God to do anything? Prayer (and life) is meaningless if chance rules the world.
My mind is too small to grasp God’s supreme control, however this illustration helps me: Imagine all people in one giant playground. There is a fence around it and while the fence doesn’t control each and every movement of the children inside, it does contain them within its boundaries.
God does the same. He holds us within His boundaries. Like the children at play, we are free to make choices but not go outside the fence. Yet God is not passive like a fence. He also can involve Himself with our choices. Imagine two children trying to ride the same swing at the same time. He can intervene if it suits His purposes, or leave them to work it out.
In other words, He didn’t toss us into a bingo number cage and start turning the crank to see what falls out. Nor are we like chess pieces that cannot move unless He moves us. He lovingly keeps His eyes on every event and, by faith, “we know He works all things work together for our good . . .” (Romans 8:28), yet we are free within His boundaries.
With that concept, we can enjoy providence -- the marvelous, watchful care and intervention of God in our the lives. Let’s face it, if Someone wasn’t intervening, we’d have blown ourselves off the planet before now.
But what about coincidence? Do we have to fear (or hope) that things just happen? Is luck part of life?
Well, if it is, the Lord God is not surprised by chance. We may not understand everything that happens, but HE does. Because of His providence, when people say, “things have a way of working out...” we can be certain that a loving God is the One doing the working!
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