Reading Calvin’s thoughts on God’s providence in Book I.16-18 is refreshing. In a day when man speaks futile words of being “fortunate” when good things happen and “unfortunate” of bad things it is refreshing to read one who speaks from the truth about God ruling over and governing all. He says, “What then? you will ask. Does anything happen by chance, nothing by contingency? I reply: Basil the Great has truly said that “fortune” and ‘chance” are pagan terms, with whose significance the minds of the godly ought not to be occupied. For if every success is God’s blessing, and calamity and adversity his curse, no place now remains in human affairs for fortune or chance.” In a culture where the activities, accomplishments and hopes for man rise so high and yet bring us so low when man inevitably disappoints and folds under the pressure of adversity a rethinking and retelling of God providentially ruling over all the affairs of his creatures in power, wisdom and goodness is the jab in the side that we need to wake us from the futile stupor.
Calvin explains how “Creation and providence are inseparable joined.” Today even the most “god fearing” man may imagine that God created the heavens and the earth and by this set in motion a force that preserves and governs its activity. Therefore, we must enjoin ourselves to this force and put away our full sized pick up trucks and drive scooters before we bring this spinning globe to a screeching halt. But the minds of the godly ought to rise higher or go deeper than this. As Calvin says, “faith ought to penetrate more deeply, namely, having found him Creator of all, forthwith to conclude he is also everlasting Governor and Preserver- not only in that he drives the celestial frame as well as its several parts by a universal motion, but also in that he sustains, nourishes, and cares for, everything he has made, even to the last sparrow (Mt.10:29).” We not only need to realize that we do not have to put away our pick up trucks for scooters but that this God who created and governs all his creation is a good in his governance.
We read of his goodness in the Scriptures, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth …In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us …He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. This God who created and sustains in power and wisdom is the same God who came down from his majesty in heaven to accomplish the redemption of his fallen creatures. We can find our happiness in him who created us, sustains us and saves us. But we will not find our happiness in him who we only think saves us and does not rule over and govern us. As Calvin says, “Therefore the Christian heart, since it has been thoroughly persuaded that all things happen by God’s plan, and that nothing takes place by chance, will ever look to him as the principal cause of all things, yet will give attention to secondary causes in their proper place. Then the heart will not doubt that God’s singular providence keeps watch to preserve it, and will not suffer anything to happen but what may turn out to its good and salvation.” God has a special fatherly care of his church who is the bride of the Son.
What a joy believers can have in God their exceeding joy when they know of his good, wise and powerful governing and preserving. As Calvin says, “When that light of divine providence has shone upon a godly man, he is then relieved and set free not only from the extreme anxiety and fear that were pressing him before, but from every care…His solace, I say, is to know that his Heavenly Father so holds all things in his power, so rules by his authority and will, so governs by his wisdom, that nothing can befall except he determine it. Moreover, it comforts him to know that he has been received into God’s safekeeping and entrusted to the care of his angels, and that neither water, nor fire, nor iron can harm him, except in so far as it pleases God as governor to give them occasion.” In our current Christian climate where the waters flowing from our souls run cold at the first sign of adversity we need not only believe that Jesus died on the cross for us, but that he created us and rules over us with his powerful word. Is this joyful trust of God in your hearts so that you can sing, “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.” and know that this Shepherd rules over all, even in the midst of adversity? I encourage you to study and meditate upon the providence of God.
You can get started by clicking here and taking your pick from these good readings or recordings that will lead you to a right understanding of the doctrine of God’s providence.
No comments:
Post a Comment