The Works of God - Preservation and Providence

As we've been looking at the plan of God and the other works of God last week we talked about his work in creation. Tonight we're going to look at two other of his major works that are described in the Bible and that is his work of preservation and his work of providence. Now the work of preservation kind of follows along right after the work on creation, the work of creation. We saw last week that God created all things and He created all things in six literal days and all three members of the Trinity were involved in that creation. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit all involved. Now preservation has to do with God's continuing work in his creation, in his universe and so does providence and we'll see how those two are distinguished and also how they overlap some. If we are able to complete these two tonight and I'm not sure that we will because there's so much to talk about and I want to make sure we address any questions you have as well but if we're able to finish then this will complete our study of what the Bible teaches about God and we'll begin a new study on what the Bible teaches about Christ. Look at the second member of the Trinity. Okay you're ready to talk about preservation God's work of preservation. Let's define it first. What we're talking about is that God maintains and sustains his creation. God maintains and sustains his creation. Now there are two ways that he does that. God created all things and it's not like not like deism. It's not it's not like God wound up the clock and then took his hands off and said okay it's just gonna run. I don't have anything to do with it now on. God maintains his creation and he sustains it. Now there are two ways that he does that in the scriptures. First of all by the very nature of his creative work he maintains and sustains his creation. By the very nature of his creative work. In other words God maintaining and sustaining his creation does not require a continual putting forth of divine energy in recreation or that kind of thing. Nature operates as a result of his creative energy. Now because of the fall nature is declining obviously that's the introduction of sin and the curse because of man's sin and so that has drastically affected the way nature operates but one of the ways in which God maintains and sustains his creation is just from his creative word and it was so perfectly done that even even with the fall even with the curse God still maintains and sustains his creation by his own creative word but then there's a second way that he does it we'll look at the scriptures here in just a moment. The second way that he maintains and sustains his creation is by his providential intervention in nature and we'll see that more when we get under the topic of providence but but creation functions with divine energy that was given to it when God created things and then he does also providentially intervene in creation sometimes through miracles sometimes through the timing of events and superintending them and guiding them and so forth but God is is maintaining and sustaining his creation in both of those ways from his initial creative energy built into nature and then also by his providential intervention at times into what happens in nature. Now before we look at the three passages of scripture the biblical teaching any question about what we're talking about. Okay let's look at the three passages then that very clearly state this Colossians 1 and verse 17 is the first one. Colossians 1 17. Verse 16 we used when we were talking about creation for in him all things were created things in heaven and on earth visible and invisible whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities all things have been created through him and for him so one of the clearest statements of the fact that God creates all things but then it doesn't stop there. Verse 17 he is before all things and in him all things hold together all things consist the King James uses that word or are held together in other words they are sustained and maintained everything that God created in verse 16 is sustained and maintained held together by God. Now there's there's an interesting thought here that is not readily apparent to us just from the English word held together it's in a tense that we don't have in English but which communicates very specifically what Paul means. You know we have past present and future tenses in English the language that Paul wrote in had a wider selection and one of those tenses was called the perfect tense we don't have a corresponding tense in English so it's difficult for us to grasp this concept but in Greek the perfect tense basically means we are observing a state a continuing state that resulted from a past action in other words there was something that happened in the past but the results of it continue on that's the perfect tense and that's what Paul uses here all things are held together or consists in the sense that what we're viewing is the result of a past action God did something in the past which maintains and continues through to the present and that's what we're observing the result of a past action that past action is creation verse 16 the two fit together so the past action is creation what we're witnessing in God holding all things together is the resultant action that comes from God's past action of creation the result and the condition that has resulted from from his past action of creation and that's what the the perfect tense is meant to to to teach us it's just kind of hard to translate into an English tense because we don't really have anything corresponds to it you have to describe it you can't really translate it into an English tense but it's clear what Paul meant that God created all things and now we are observing the result of that past action in the present and the result of that past action is God is holding all things together and sustaining his creation okay any question about that before we look at Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 3 alright Hebrews 1 3 again creation is mentioned in verse 2 he talks about God speaking at times in many ways and through the prophets and the Old Testament verse 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his son whom he appointed air of all things and through whom he made the universe so Christ's role in creation is highlighted there now look at verse 3 the son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being in other words they share the same nature sustaining all things by his powerful word after he had provided purification for sins he sat down at the right hand of the majesty in heaven what I want you to look at is that phrase in the middle of the verse sustaining all things by the power of his word or his powerful word now the word sustaining is the first word or upholding all things it's the same ideas what we saw in Colossians 1 verse 2 he created all things made all things now he's sustaining all things but the word sustaining here is a word which means more than just maintaining but the Greek word literally meant to carry that was the verb form was to carry something so to sustain it means to carry it forward to the to reach the goal that God intended for it in creation and it's a beautiful picture of what sustaining really is God created all things and now through his son he is literally carrying it forward to accomplish exactly the goal he created it for so that it will end up all of God's creation will end up exactly doing the purpose that God intended for it you say well didn't the fall mess that up in a sense but what happened at the cross what happened at the cross Jesus not only redeemed us our souls but he also through his work at the cross liberated nature from the bondage that it's under to the curse Romans 8 teaches that Colossians 1 verses 20 and 21 teach that that he has reconciled all things to himself including all things in heaven and earth and so that part of God's salvation plan has not been visible and realized yet it won't be until Jesus comes back and lifts the curse at his second coming for the millennium but it's a part of God's salvation plan he's not only saving us for heaven he's also going to save creation from the downward trend because of the fall see Romans 8 talks about all creation groans now but one day it will be delivered just like we are it will be delivered from that and and that's part of the creation work so so Christ made all things and now he's carrying it forward he's sustaining it in the sense that he's moving it forward to carry out exactly the purpose for which it was created and that will happen okay so that's part of it but notice it says he is doing it by his powerful word again the original language is so precise we have the word word the Greek language had two words that could be translated word one of them has to do with just the the concept the other one has to do with the spoken word and that's the one that's used here not just the concept or what's communicated with the word but the spoken they actually actually the act of speaking the word is what's communicated here so how is he sustaining it and carrying it forward through his spoken word which again goes back to creation he spoke all things into existence and he did such a perfect job of it that very act of speaking things into existence as part of what carries it forward in God's perfect timing and way to carry out exact exactly the purpose that he wants but it also includes him speaking miracles peace be still he says on the sea of Galilee and at his word the winds obey you know when he says Lazarus come forth at his word death has no power so so Jesus speaks the word and he sustains and moves forward his creation and even the laws of nature to accomplish exactly what God wants to happen so he is sustaining moving forward all of creation by his spoken word in creation and also by when he speaks a word to overrule the the laws of nature which really are just the normal ways of describing what God does okay so Hebrews one three is a fascinating passage about about God sustaining and maintaining his creation actually carrying it forward to fulfill his purpose and how he does that through his spoken word questions comments there yes John as far as nature is so the laws of nature will be reversed and what we know now of living in dying cycle for living plants and stuff like that so that it's actually redemption for continue it would be no longer as we know right redemption will overturn all the effects of the curse but there are certain laws that God built into nature that would continue anyway any physical object is going to be under the law of gravity although in our glorified body we'll be able to overcome gravity and we'll be able to walk through walls if we need to like Jesus did you know so the laws the laws of nature basically let me put it this way the laws of nature basically are a description of the way God normally acts what he normally does but he can supersede those if he wants to the fall has damaged what God built into creation and all of that part like the death and life cycle that you mentioned John that will be overcome in in Christ redeeming us from the curse so a lot of what we view as nature and the inevitable laws of nature are not really the laws that God built into creation they're the laws that have taken over because of the curse and we see that continually happening but it was not God's original intent okay other questions comments one other passage second Peter three which corresponds to exactly what we've seen in the other two second Peter chapter three verses three through seven talking about the second coming of Christ and Christ intervening in the affairs of this world and human history he says in verse three above all you must understand that in the last day scoffers will come scoffing and following their own evil desires they will say where is this coming he promised ever since our ancestors died everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation now there's deism for you everything just goes on just you know God may have started it but it just goes on nothing ever changes verse five but they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens came into being there's this creative word spoken word let there be light boom there is light okay let there be sun boom there's a sun okay that's the creative word that long ago by God's word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water by these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed now look at verse seven by that same word the present heavens and earth are reserved there's the maintaining the moving forward for the purpose that God has in the future by that same word what word the creative word clearly referring back to verse five by his creative word the present heavens and earth are reserved or are being moved forward maintained for fire being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly in other words God is moving maintaining sustaining carrying along his creation for the purpose that he has for it in the future which is a destruction not this time by water but by fire at the second coming and then after the the millennium particularly when the heavens and earth are burned up so again creative word spoken in verse five that same word keeps creation working moving along toward the plan of God because of what God did in creation and that excellent work is a part of what carries it on maintains it okay so preservation means that God is maintaining and sustaining his creation primarily through his spoken word and creation that energy is still carrying creation along but at times he steps in by his word of miracle or word of redirection or whatever he does to accomplish something else in his creation that's what we think of as preservation so God created God also preserves his creation any question or comment before we move on to my favorite doctrine of all in the doctrine of God that is his providence any any question come in in the fore you create that beginning, that's what the word just is powerful, powerful, people be damned, change their mind. Yes. I hear the good and the change something at least, it's the change. Exactly. So that's the security of the word, it's the focus. It's a good point, Ben, and that is that God's spoken word does communicate his authority. And that was what was so amazing about the miracles of Christ and what everybody recognized. You know, like in the passage I mentioned in Mark 4 where Jesus calms the storm, he speaks, he says, peace be still and the wind and waves obeyed his voice. The Bible says and the disciples say, what kind of man is this? He commands even the wind and the waves and they obey him. Here example of authority, when he speaks exercising his authority over nature, it shows that it is all under his command. I think that in any sense it's two different representations of the word word and I have a kind of theme on the word, the authority that is in there kind of thing, a key, he gives a free and then it wouldn't spoken word but it was long. Yes. But then to see that as Jesus, on the water, they have a kind of authority over nature, it's probably very enlightening. Yes. That's that representation of the word and the word is very easy to make sure that you can just go so many directions with that. That's so powerful in the ministry of Christ, even his healings. You remember when the man was let down through the roof and the disciple or the Pharisees were saying, by what authority do you say this man's sins can be forgiven? And Jesus says, what is easier to say to someone, your sins be forgiven or take up your bed and walk? I'll show you I have authority in the spiritual realm by demonstrating my authority over the physical realm. And when he commanded him to be healed, that was just a confirmation of his authority in the spiritual realm to say, your sins are forgiven. So Christ's spoken word in both realms, spiritual and physical carries authority. Commended the unclean spirits and they came out of the debony act of Gidara in Mark V. I mean, every time he speaks, it communicates authority. Even when he taught the word, remember the people were amazed at his authority. He spoke not like the scribes and Pharisees who quoted each other, Rabbi Sonsos says this, Rabbi Sonsos says that, Jesus says, but I say unto you, he's speaking with authority. So yeah, that's a powerful concept. Yes. Yes. Can we offer that? Can we speak that truth? Is that a statement that is in the final theory of this is truth? Exactly. Yeah. There's no question to it. Yeah. He is the truth and everything he says is truth and that carries authority. It's tremendously comforting. Yes. Yes. His authority over all things is very comforting and also challenging in the sense that we must recognize his right to have authority in our lives too. That we are, as we sang earlier, to bow in submission to him as Creator and King. Yes. The truth is that everything is created in the sense of the truth. And it keeps me because God is the truth of the truth. Yes. It keeps me nature and sense of the truth. It's the truth. Yeah. It's what we are saying and we are taking part in it. Exactly. I think Christi has gone to the heart of something that is true about all of our understanding about God. It's a tendency to try to interpret God based on our own knowledge and understanding of things. And that's true when it comes to observing the natural world. And that's why many people opt for evolution. Obviously, there's a lot of spiritual power behind that in the sense that they're neglecting God and denying God. But God in His authority and power has the right to create and do all things. And whether or not it makes sense to us or logically fits, we bow before His authority. And His authority is ultimate both in creation and in everything else. Very true. Okay. That's a fun topic. But let's talk some about the providence of God. I love this doctrine. It is one of the most comforting and encouraging and strengthening doctrines, I think, in all of the Bible. And that is by way of definition. What do we mean by providence? It's this. It's this. That God guides and directs all events in the universe. God guides and directs all events in the universe. Thereby, certainly bringing about the fulfillment of His wise plan. This is what ties everything together in our experience at least. We've talked about God's plan that God has a plan and purpose for all things. God's providence is basically His actual working in time through events to accomplish that purpose. And it's how He guides and directs all the events that are transpiring in history in our timeframe to actually accomplish His purpose. And that's, you know, God's plan and purpose as we saw. So much of that is way above us and way beyond us. And we can't really explain it all or even understand it all. But we can see God's providence. And we're going to see a number of ways in which we see it. But we can see, at least looking back on our experience, we can see how God has been working things together, bringing things about and causing things to work together for good. And accomplishing in the end His purpose. So that's what we're talking about now. God directing and guiding all the events in the universe, including in my life and your life to bring about the fulfillment of His wise plan. Okay, let's look at a few passages and then we're going to see the means by which He does it and a few other things. And I don't want to give you the whole outline here. So let's look at Psalm 135 first. Psalm 135. Psalm 135 verses 5 through 7. I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all God's. The Lord does whatever pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth in the seas and all their depths. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses. Now, a lot of questions there, no doubt, but the basic point is this that God, even guides and superintendents and directs the events of nature to accomplish His purpose. Now you have to factor into this what the fall has done again because of the curse on nature because of man's sin, that's taken a nasty turn. And the curse has messed up the way nature works. And that's why we have natural disasters. But God is still in control in that He takes what has been built into creation and even affected by the fall and uses it for His purpose. Directs it, fits it together with timing and other things in His purpose to bring about His wise plan. And we'll see some examples of that in just a little bit. Okay, look at another passage. Daniel 221. Daniel 221. Now this is Daniel praising the Lord in prayer right before He interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream about the image that He's seen with the four different kinds of metal. Daniel says in verse 20, praise be to the name of God forever and ever wisdom and power or His. Notice verse 21, He changes times and seasons. He deposes kings and raises others up. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. So God is in control directing the events of what happens on this earth. He raises up kings and He brings them down. Now even kings that do bad things like Nebuchadnezzar, God raised Him up at a particular time in history. All of His background and everything that went into making Him who He was. God knew all of that and God placed Him where He wanted Him at the specific time in history to be God's instrument of judgment on His people. Judah. And then God continues working in His life even to accomplish some pretty amazing spiritual things. But God's in control of all that. He raises up kings. He puts them down. Okay, another passage. This is the one we're most familiar with. Romans 8, 28 to 30, which is kind of an overall statement of the Providence of God. Romans 8, 28 and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him. Who have been called according to His purpose. Okay, this is a great statement of what we're talking about, the Providence of God. In all things God works to produce a plan of purpose, a goal and that purpose is the good of those who love Him. Now we have to interpret what good we're talking about. The good is not necessarily from my perspective what makes me feel good, what looks to what's easy, no problems, no difficulties, everything is fine. That's what we think of as good. When we ask, are you having a good day? That's kind of what we're thinking, isn't it? Everything go pretty smooth today. Do you have any problems? You had problems one the good day. Well, that's our interpretation of good. That's not God's interpretation. God's interpretation of good follows in the next two verses. It has to do with His purpose and plan for us. And this is it. Those who have been called according to His purpose. This is the purpose toward which all things are being worked together for good. Verse 29, for those God for new, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. That's God's purpose. That's His plan. That's what He's working toward in all of our lives to be conformed to the image of His Son. To be shaped, molded, to be like Christ. That's what He's doing. And that's how He works all things together for good. It doesn't mean that everything that happens to you or me would be defined as good. There are evil things that happen to us. There are evil acts of other people that affect us. There are tragic things that happen as a result of sin and the curse in this world that happen to us. Those are not good things, but that's not what the Bible says. The Bible doesn't say everything that happens to us is good. The Bible says God works all things together for good. Or works for the good. Works all things toward or for end in mind is good. For those who love Him who are the call to corner who is purpose and His purpose in doing all this so that we might be like Christ. And God takes even the hard things, the tragic things, the evil that happens to us and mixes it together with everything else in life and produces good from it. And that good is Christ's likeness. I think every one of us, if we were to give a testimony, we would probably say that some of the deepest spiritual lessons we've ever learned, some of the times when we were brought closest to our Lord have been some of the most difficult times in our lives. And that's just our personal testimony of the truthfulness of these verses. That God is working together all things for good. You know, you've often heard the illustration of baking a cake. Now, I know I'm going to mess this one up because I haven't done nothing about making a cake, but I do understand enough to know this. I'm not even sure what goes into a cake, but I think some cakes, raw eggs go into it. Raw eggs don't taste very good by themselves, do they? I've never tried it. I'm not planning to. Don't you put some, is it bacon powder or bacon soda in a cake? Maybe both? I don't know. I don't think either one of those would taste very good by themselves, would they? By itself. And there are probably lots of other things, just flour, you know, just old flour. You can imagine eating flour. None of that is good by itself, but you mix it all together. Put it in the oven. Voila! Good! It all got worked together, and the end result was good. Now, that's what God's doing with all the events of our lives. Some of the stuff in and of itself doesn't go down very well. It doesn't taste good. It's some of it's evil, but God mixes it all together. All the events of our lives in order to produce the cake, in order to pull something out of the oven that really is delicious, and what he's pulling out of the oven is Christ-likeness. We're being conformed better with the image of Christ. Now, that is God's providence, and this passage explains it as clearly as any in the Bible. But there's one other, and we've used this before, of God's purpose and plan, but it also includes His providence. There's a lot of overlap between those two. Because God's providence is how He actually works out His plan. Ephesians 1-11. In Him we were also chosen having been predestined according to the plan. Okay, now there's the plan, the chosen predestined plan, all of that in the mind of God. Notice how He accomplishes it. According to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will. Now, that working out everything in line with and in conformity with the purpose of His will and plan, that's His providence. First part of the verse deals with His plan. Second part of the verse deals with His providence. It's how He works out everything in our lives. So God's providence is guiding and directing all the events in the universe, but more personally in my life and in yours to bring about the fulfillment of His plan. And His plan ultimately, the bottom line for us, is to look like Christ, to be like Christ. Christ-like. Okay, any question about what we're talking about before we look at the means of His providence, how He does this. Yes, Ben? Oh, horrible. Yes. Oh. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And that is a perfect example in the Old Testament, what God did with Israel. And judging them and horrible things happen, read the book of lamentations. Cannibalism in the streets of Jerusalem, when Babylon had them under siege, it was horrible. It's awful. Awful. And yet God brought good out of that. He worked all that together. One thing that the Babylonian captivity did for Israel is a curative of idolatry. And they would come back to the land and they would be guilty of some things later on, but they never once went back to the idols of the nations. They never did that again. And God's judgment cured them of that. Okay, let's talk about the means of His providence. How does God work out all things together for good? Well, sometimes it's by nature, by what happens in nature. I want to mention this again, I referred to it earlier, nature, the normal laws of nature basically, God is not bound by the laws of nature. The laws of nature are not something above God that He has to obey. When we talk about the laws of nature, we're basically just saying, that's a description of how God normally does things. Okay? It's what He built into His creation. The laws of nature are not some arbitrary standard up here that have God captive. And God has to obey the laws of nature. No, no. God operates independently of anything. And we look at what He's doing and the natural order of things, and we say, oh, those are the laws of nature. Actually, it's just a reflection of God's creative work and how He maintains that work. And also how He works all things together for good. Sometimes it is through what happens in nature. Now, the thing that shows God's providence is the timing of how things happen in nature. Look at a couple of passages. Well, I think these are on the screen. Psalm 148, verse 8, lightning and hail, snow and clouds stormy winds that do His bidding. Okay? God can take even the destructive effects of the fall, the curse on nature because of man's sin, and cause all of those things to do His bidding and to bring good out of them. And there are so many examples of that in the natural world. If you enjoy nature programs like I do, you see it over and over and over and over again. There was recently a program on nature which had to do with the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park. All the wolves had been killed out a hundred years ago. And because of that, the elk population was exploding and they were eating down all the trees and shrubs and all, which was killing off other animal life. The whole process that got built into creation to balance things had been disrupted. And so they reintroduced wolves and it was amazing how they described what had taken place. And the resurgence of plant life and animal life in Yellowstone because of that one balance. You see, so God's timing in things, the way God uses things in nature is an amazing part of His providence, how He composes His purpose. I mentioned earlier the storm on the Sea of Galilee. Look at the verse. It's on the screen for you in Mark IV. A furious squall came up and the waves broke over the boat so that it was nearly swamped. Now if you read the whole story, you know that Jesus had told the disciples, get in the boat, we're going across the other side of the Sea of Galilee. And He was so exhausted that He took the cushion from the Helmsman's seat, laid down with His head on that cushion and fell sound asleep. And even with a storm like this that is about to overwhelm the boat, He's still sleeping. And they have to wake Him up. And when He wakes up, He calms the storm. And that's when they are amazed and realize this is the Son of God. But when you read what happened before that, you realize the real impact of that. And the reason why God allowed this storm, maybe in His providence, made this storm happen, and when it did, was to prove something to the disciples. You see, right before this happens on the Sea of Galilee, the Pharisees have attacked Jesus and questioned who He is. And then at the same time that's happening, Jesus' mother and brothers come to get Him because they say He's crazy. He's out of His mind. He's a lunatic. He's going to wear Himself out. And so they're trying to take Him home. On both counts, there's a question on the part of His family and on the part of the religious leaders as to who He is. So maybe the confidence of the disciples is getting shaken a little bit. The timing of this storm is supernaturally used by God in His providence to prove a lesson to them. Why did the storm not come up before they got out on the Sea of Galilee, or after they'd already gotten to the other side? Why did it come exactly when it did because, as Psalm says, the storms and the lightning and the hail do His bidding. They do His bidding. He had a purpose for the timing of that. So sometimes God's providence happens through nature. Sometimes, secondly, it happens through divine intervention, not just through nature, but by direct intervention of God. And that would be the miracles. Okay, sometimes God directly intervenes in the normal course of nature, which basically is saying He suspends the way He normally does things and says, I'm going to take control here of the way I normally do things and do something different. And every miracle that God does is not Him overruling the laws of nature. It's just Him deciding to do something different than what He normally does. That's what a miracle is. It's God deciding I'll do something different than what I normally do. And He has a purpose and a reason for that. That's all a part of His providence. I've just given you one example of this on the screen. Again, Exodus 14, familiar crossing of the Red Sea. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and all that night, the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided. That was a miracle. But God was accomplishing His purpose for the people of Israel by intervening in what would normally happen in nature, what He would normally do, and doing something different, causing the waters to divide, blowing a wind that would cause them to part and divide. So anytime God directly intervenes in nature, that's a part of His providence. That's a part of Him directing, guiding the events of the universe and of our lives to accomplish His purpose. His purpose in that case was to deliver His people and to destroy the Egyptian army. And He chose that miracle to do it. Now here's the one I love the most. The third way God carries out His providence, directs and superintendents the events of our lives is through the deeds of people, simply through the deeds of people, through the everyday normal actions of people, and probably the best example of this in all of the Bible, because it has so many layers to it, is the book of Esther. What a fascinating story of God's providence, amazing story. There will be a wicked man named Haman who will devise a wicked plot to destroy the Jewish nation. Okay, there is a very clear, imminent threat to God's people. Doesn't it God by surprise? He's working behind the scenes to orchestrate His purpose and His plan. So everything is under His control. A hasuerus, the king, makes a foolish request of His queen. She will not perform for Him like He suggests for all of His wise men and nobles. And so He deposes her and God has someone else to take her place. God's choice is Esther, a Jewish woman. So He's moving all the pieces of the puzzle together to put a Jewish woman in position of power and influence over the king. Her uncle just happens to be Mordecai, who's had a few run-ins with Haman. And that's an interesting subtwist and subplot in the story. Well, he finds out about this plot. Let's Esther know. You remember the story of how she's challenged to appeal to the king, which she eventually does. But you remember one of the most interesting evidences of God's providence in that whole story is in the life of King Ahazuerus. Who can't sleep one night? Did you know that sometimes when you can't sleep, it's God doing it? Do you ever think about that? God may be doing it for a particular reason. Now we may never know the reason, but in this case, we do. God caused him not to be able to sleep, so he got up, asked for the king's records to be read to him. And it just so happens that the portion that was read to him had to do with his life being saved by a man by the name of Mordecai, who revealed a plot against his life. Oh, Mordecai must be honored. And God is using all of this. God is working all of this together to bring Hamons destruction, Mordecai's honor, and through the appeal of his wife, Esther, whom God placed in that position, the deliverance of his people of Israel. The whole story is one after another, one after another, evidence of the providence of God. Amazing. I think one of the most beautiful and comforting and encouraging things in our lives as believers is to watch God's providence at work. Our time is almost up, but could I give you just a little example from my own life, just a few days ago, we've been in a search for children's pastor, and we had come to the point where I was going to have to tell one of them that he was no longer being considered, basically going to tell him no. And I'm not fond of those kinds of things, and this is a couple that has tremendous potential, and I have high respect for them. And I was not looking forward to that encounter. I felt that it could be damaging and maybe even devastating to them. And so I did a lot of praying about it, drove an hour and a half to meet them, and wanted to do it face to face. And so I sat down with them in a restaurant, and I began to explain the reason for the decision. And he looked at me, and he said, he said, John, just this morning, my boss, who is a principal of a Christian school where he teaches, my boss came up to me and said, we're going to have two fifth grades next year. You're filling in this year for a lady who had a pregnancy, took a medical leave. She's coming back next year, but we need someone else for that other fifth grade class, and I'm offering you the position. This is like three or four hours before we met. This happens. Okay, and that's not it. That's not all the story. That afternoon, another administrator in this same school walks up and says, I need someone for the summer to do some of their summer programs that they do. And the job is yours if you want it. And he told both of them, not knowing what I was going to be telling him yet. He told both of them, I'll tell you this afternoon, whether or not I can take those jobs. But he came to the meeting with the sense that God was going to tell him no to what I was offering and was redirecting me in another way. And you talk about glory land of saying, wow, God, you just moved in and took care of all my apprehension and fear. And what I've been dreading all week, you just took care of why didn't I trust you better to do that? It was to me one of those amazing examples of God, providentially working. He was working in ways that I had no clue through that whole day in this couple's life to redirect them exactly along the lines of the decision we had already made. God knew all about that. Just an amazing example of his providence. And if you look for those kind of things in your life, you will constantly be amazed at seeing the hand of God in your life. It's just if you're sensitive to it, if you look back and see how God has caused things to happen or not happen and how he's fitting all things together, that's his providence. And it is an amazing thing to watch. I mean, you can be living the book of Esther every week in your life if you really look carefully at what God's doing. So God's providence is absolutely amazing thing. We're going to have to finish next week just briefly with some application because there are some wonderful applications to this that I don't want to miss and I want to give you more opportunity to talk. So I kind of hogged the conversation tonight. Let's pray and we'll finish up next week. Father, thank you for the evidence of your providence in our lives. Help us to be more sensitive to seeing what you're doing. And the amazing thing, Lord, is that we can't know ahead of time what it's going to be. But as we watch it unfold, we just are odd and amazed at what you do. And help us to recognize that. Lord, I know there are things in my life that happen probably every day that I don't stop long enough to recognize this was you. This was you and you were working and I didn't even notice it. It was blue right by it. So Lord, please help me and help all of us to be looking for your hand and you're always at work. So help us to be looking for your hand of providence to be rejoicing in it. And Lord also help us to trust you more to know that you do have everything under control. And you are working all things together for good. And even when we're eating the parts of the ingredients of the cake that don't taste very good at the time, help us to realize that you're going to put it all together and work it all together for good. Thank you. We bow before your awesome Providence and Plan in Jesus' name. Amen.