How intimately is God involved in our lives? Is he a loving presence who wants the best for us,

a kind of cosmic cheerleader who's definitely rooting for us on the sidelines, but

who can't really get involved in the game? The Westminster Shorter Catechism defines

Providence, like this. God's works of Providence are his most holy, wise and powerful,

preserving and governing of all his creatures and all their actions.

This encompasses the idea that God wisely and lovingly provides for his children.

He provides for everyone, in one sense, life, breath, and every good thing we enjoy,

but there's a particularly profound way in which he provides for his own family,

which is you, if you're in Christ. This is the Providence, the Paul Speaks of

in Romans chapter 8, verse 28, when he says, we know that for those who love God,

all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

All things work together for the good of those who love God. That verse means that all the things

God brings into our lives, however difficult they may be, are actually working together for our

good. It also means, of course, that all the things we may deeply desire but have not yet received

and may never receive have been withheld from us for our good. One of my favorite books is John

Newton's letters. He puts it like this, all shall work together for good. Everything is needful

that he sends. Nothing can be needful that he withholds.

Well, a sense of calm and joy we'd experience if we really believe that truth.

It's important to see that this Providence, this providing for, isn't merely God's reaction

to our ever-changing needs. It's more than that. Our word Providence comes from the Greek

Pronoia, which means forethought and also the Latin Providenceia, which means to provide beforehand.

The word Providence, then, conveys the idea that when God provides for us, it's because he already

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