Providence
Providence. The protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual power.
Of all God’s creations, I have to say I am most thankful for nature. In nature, I feel like my truest self or maybe the self I would like to be always. When I am alone and everything is very still, I can hear the rustling of the wind against the trees, the drip drop of a stream or tap against a rocky surface, or a bird whistling happily. Then and there is where I experience the embrace of God. His Love. His Care. His Providence. If I am lucky, the experience is uninterrupted for a full five minutes, but more often than not the worries and distractions of the world flood my mind. My job search, school applications, a fight with my parents or a friend, the growing distance of my partner, my weight, my looks, my health, my social life, marriage etc. It’s always something. Sometimes I am convinced that I would have done better in life as a Japanese monk meditating for hours in a botanical garden, but alas I remember there is a part of me that is extroverted and loves to celebrate life with people.
Ah People! Another of God’s creations. The ones I find the most complicated. Creations which we at once cling to for love, empathy, friendship and support but also shy away from in hate, anger, hurt and depression. In as much as people are complicated, I also find God to be quite complicated. Top of mind for me these days is how He uses other people to manifest His Providence. You may think you are moving through this world alone, whether in your country of birth or in a foreign land, but trust me you are not. God will put people in your life along the way to prepare you for a particular road ahead or just to protect you, even from yourself. I experienced this clearly at a point in my life where I was deeply hurt and tired of taking care of myself so I swore that love was for the birds and I would just focus on this compatibility thing. Well, lol that didn’t last long. I just have to have both; I’m sure many of you can relate. Even when your heart is hardened against God Himself, you might find that you meet someone new who opens up your heart and world to Him in a way you never thought possible. That is God’s Providence.
I was re-reading the book of Genesis recently and was struck by the strength of the story of Joseph in Egypt. I learned this story as a kid and generally knew the plot but wow talk about God being a promise-keeper and protector. In my opinion, the story of Joseph and his family should be award-winning today because it’s quite crazy! If you aren’t familiar with it, I encourage you to read Genesis 37 through 50 (with particular attention to Chapters 42–47) before you continue reading this post, so you get the context.
Joseph was the most beloved child of his father, Jacob, whose ancestor (Abraham) had entered into a powerful covenant with God that was quite frankly scary. God asked Abraham to leave the land he had known all his life (on quite short notice!) for new lands that he had no ties to (or knowledge about!) with all his possessions and family members (really like trekking to nowhere…) all in reliance on the promise that God would bless him and make his family into a great nation with descendants as countless as the stars in the night sky. Abraham actually laughed in disbelief because he and his wife could not conceive. Nevertheless, he had faith that God’s Providence would see him through And it did! God protected Abraham as he journeyed through foreign lands, including Egypt, which he did not foresee that his great-grandchild, Joseph, would govern a few centuries later. Abraham also did not foresee that his grandchild, Jacob, would have 12 children of his own and that 10 of those children would actually plot to kill their own brother but ultimately sell him into slavery in Egypt.
The “death” of Joseph almost killed his father Jacob and it seemed God’s promise was in jeopardy when the Great Famine struck, but once again God’s Providence manifested itself in full form. Abraham’s descendants did not die of hunger but were spared through the son sold into slavery, Joseph. Through Joseph, the promise made to Abraham that Jacob inherited could live on. God elevated Joseph to a position of authority in a foreign land, the land of his captivity nonetheless, so that he could in turn save his family and continue the covenant. What a convoluted story of promise and redemption!
It’s a lot of history but let me simplify how it made me feel. Joseph, who was hurt and betrayed so deeply by his own family, and left alone to be enslaved in a foreign land, became their salvation because God still had a promise to keep. God fulfilled that promise by manifesting His Providence. He put Joseph in a position of authority and favor in the land of his captivity so he could protect his family in their time of need.
Let that sink in. That is Our God. That is Providence. Your life, what you do, where you are and who you are may not make sense right now but He will make it make sense. Have faith just like Abraham and Joseph did. Trust His Providence is enough for you. The next time you sit in nature remember Jesus has the same message for you: “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6: 26-27)
