“Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry
with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to
preserve life.” –Genesis 45:5
“For as much as it has pleased our
Almighty Father in his all wise providence to take out of the world the soul of
the departed….” Providence. It is not a word that makes the prideful feel
warm and fuzzy inside, nor is it a concept that can be rationalized by
intellectual persons. Providence is a
call to submission, to faith, to acceptance that there is a higher design. That there is a wiser being, a great
power. It’s not scriptural, the
committal statements, but the sentiments are echoed and reinforced throughout
the Word of God. The sentiments that
every human being on this Earth lives under the providence of God. The question is not if we are under his
providence, rather, do we accept it? Do
we accept the will of God in our life?
The examples in scripture of those who accepted the providence
of God in their life is numerous, as is examples of those who did not. King Saul is a good example of both. He began as a humble, contrite man who
accepted that the providence of God called him from the least of the tribes to
rule God’s people. However, pride took
root in his heart and he later rejected God’s will in his life, and sought to
fulfill his own. Moses, he was a man
born into horror, I am sure the people of Israel doubted God, given their
circumstances: poverty, slavery, and the irrational genocide of every new born
male baby. Moses was brought into this,
but saved by providence, and found himself in Pharaoh’s household. However, he left the pleasure of Egypt and chose to suffer affliction with the people
of God. He followed the will of God
for his life, rather than his own. Then
there’s Joseph. If ever there was a man
who had liberty to question the will of God in his life it would be
Joseph. Sold into slavery by his own
blood kin, promoted, then falsely accused and imprisoned, only to be exalted to
Pharaoh’s right hand. In all of the ups
and downs of his life he never doubted or questioned the will of God in his
life, but accepted it whole heartily. He
believed that God had providence, and he accepted that providence. This is evident in the statement to his unrighteous
brothers: “Now therefore be not grieved,
nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before
you to preserve life.” Looking back,
he was able to see the hand of God all through his life; he could see it
because he was trusting in it, believing in it, and following the will of
God. Peace, clarity, and contentment
does not come through force, but through yielding; yielding and accepting the
will of God in your life. Whether it is
good or bad, God’s providence is ultimately the best thing for you and faith in
that fundamental truth is critical for life and life eternal.
When its high tide, the sky is blue, sun shining; it is easy to
praise God. It is easy to rejoice, and
to accept the will of God in our life.
However, when things are tough, when there is turmoil and unrest;
doubting and stress, then it is not so easy.
We as people have a hard time with yielding and accepting the will of
God towards us when it is contrary to our will.
We have a difficult time believing in his providence when it contradicts
our own design. This is somewhat
understandable, especially in terrible tragedy.
However, there is no way through the difficult times, unless we first
accept and yield to his providence.
Unless we “trust in the Lord with
all our heart.” In doing so,
someday, one day, we will be able to reach the other side of the storm and look
back to see that the providence of God is perfect, and his will for us
enlightened. That he is a good and Almighty Father to
his children.
