Providence

Examples of Providence

Jer 5:23-25 The people have been rebellious, and turned aside. No longer do they seek the LORD, knowing that He gives rains in their proper times, both the fall and the spring rains. He it is who keeps the appointed times for the harvest. No. In your sins you have turned from Him, and because of your sins, you are missing out on the good He has for you.
Jer 10:13, 51:16 At His voice, downpours form in the heavens, clouds and lightning come with the rain, and He brings on the winds from His storehouses.
Jer 14:22 Do any of the nations' idols bring rain? It is only You, oh Lord our God that does so. Therefore, our hope is in You for You are the only one who has done these things.
Jer 22:13-16 "Woe to the one who builds his house without righteousness and justice, who does not give his workers' their wages, who says he will build his house with spacious rooms, many windows, and cedar paneling painted red. Will your cedar paneling make you king? Didn't your father eat and drink as any other man? Didn't he do justice and righteousness? This is why it was well with him. He took on the cause of the afflicted and needy. This is why it was well with him. This is what it means to know Me." This is what the LORD declares to you.
Jer 27:6 Now, I have given these lands to Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, My servant. I have also given him the wild animals to serve him.
Jer 30:19 Thanksgiving and rejoicing will come from them, and I will multiply them, they shall not diminish. I will honor them, and they will not be thought of as insignificant.
Jer 31:35-37 The LORD who gives the sun for daylight, and orders the moon and the stars for lighting the night, He who stirs up the sea into roaring waves; The LORD of hosts is His name, and these are His words: "If the order of the heavens and the seas departs from Me, then also will the children of Israel cease from being a nation before Me forever. If the heavens can be measured, and the foundations of the earth discovered, then I will cast off Israel for all that they have done."
Jer 33:10-11 The LORD declares, "There will come again in this wasteland devoid of man and beast - that is, in the cities of Judah, the desolate streets of Jerusalem - the voice of joy and gladness, the voices of the bridegroom and the bride, the voices of those who say, 'Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, His lovingkindness is everlasting'. There will come again those who bring their offerings of thanksgiving into the house of the LORD, for I will restore the land as it was at first."

 

New Thoughts

Everything is by His hand. The forming of creation, the support of creation, these are His doing. The establishing of nations, and the tearing down of the same, these are His doing. It was His doing that brought Nebuchadnezzar to power, though Nebuchadnezzar had no thought for the LORD at the time. God alone chooses whether a nation will be honored or insignificant.

But He doesn't choose on a whim. He is just. He chooses with reason. It goes well for His people when they do what is right in His sight. When they act in righteousness, when they show concern for those who are hurting, He is pleased to bless them. When, instead, they choose to feed their own pride, He will humble them for their own good.

He works all things for good to His people who serve Him. This is just as true in light of these considerations. If He brings humbling, it is to bring about a good and worthwhile change in us. Even when the choices He makes for our circumstance don't seem beneficial to us, we can be assured that they are, that in the course of time we will see that He has indeed worked for our good. In the bleakest of times, we can be assured that the voice of the Bridegroom will return to the land, that we, the bride, will have cause to rejoice once more, for He is good, and His lovingkindness is everlasting! He is faithful, and He will restore things to the way they were at the first, He will restore us to the relationship we knew in Eden.

Lord, we will rejoice with You even now, even in the difficult times, because we know You are faithful indeed. Our trust has been in You, and our trust will continue to be in You. Yes, our faith may waiver from day to day, but in our soul we know: You are faithful to complete the work You have begun. We can count on that, for You alone are true. Glory and honor to You, my Lord! Even so, strengthen me in faith and righteousness today, that I may trust You the more.