We are amazed at the miracles of God that
are on record in the Scriptures, and rightly so.God's works in Bible times were truly
wonderful.They began with creation, and
then we read of the worldwide flood, the confusing of languages at the tower of
Babel, the miraculous conception of Isaac in Sarah's old age, the plagues of
Egypt, Israel's crossing of the Red Sea, and much, much more.In New Testament times, we read of Jesus and
His apostles performing miracles of healing, raising the dead, and more.These events astounded those who witnessed
them, and they continue to astound us today.
What has happened to God's mighty
works?Do you ever think like Gideon,
who questioned the presence of God with Israel because he saw no miracles in
his time?When the angel of the Lord told Gideon that God was with him,
he said, "O my lord, if the Lordis with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers
told us about, saying, 'Did not the Lordbring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into
the hand of Midian" (Judg. 6:13).Do you
ever wonder if God is still with us because of the absence of miracles along
with the preponderance of evil?
The truth is that God is with us along
with His great power and works.Although
we do not see the miraculous suspension of natural laws as some did in Bible
times, the evidence of God's power is all around us.This has always been true, for "since the
creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine
nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made"
(Rom. 1:20).We need only to look up in
the sky, for "the heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is
declaring the work of His hands" (Ps. 19:1).Do we not hear their testimony?Have we become deaf to their message?
God's power and character are also clearly
seen through His many acts of providence.The word "providence" literally means "foresight" (from the Latin pro, meaning "before," and videns, meaning "to see"), but it is
commonly used to mean God's care or preparation in advance as the result of His
foresight.God foresees what man will
need, and so He provides the means to satisfy those needs by His providence.Providence is not a Bible word, but it is a
Bible concept.Indeed, Scripture teaches
us that "every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming
down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting
shadow" (Jas. 1:17).Every drop of
water, every morsel of food, and every breath of air are given by God's
providence, and they are proof of God's power and love.
Don't make the mistake of overlooking
God's providence.We can become so
accustomed to ordinary events that we fail to see the extraordinary hand of God
behind them.Remember that it is God who
"causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the
righteous and the unrighteous" (Matt. 5:45).It is He "who gives food to all flesh, for His lovingkindness is
everlasting" (Ps. 136:25).In prayer, we
ask God for our daily bread because it is He who supplies it (Matt. 6:11).It is God who gives us life, health, and
healing (Gen. 20:17-18; Acts 17:28; Phil. 2:27; Jas. 5:14-15).Through Christ, He "upholds all things by the
word of His power" (Heb. 1:3).One of
the best descriptions of God's providence for the whole world is found in Psalm
104.There, the Scripture gives glory to
God for all of nature, including the springs that flow in the valleys, the rain,
the grass, all vegetation, mountains, trees, the moon, the sun, the food that
feeds both man and beast, and more.All
of these are common, ordinary objects, but the fact that they are there every
day by the providence of God demands our attention.Indeed, God is with us, and He makes this
world go around and bear its fruit for our good.
Therefore, let us give glory to God and
thank Him for all of His mighty works.The evidence of His power and presence among us is abundant and
undeniable.When we receive the
provisions of life, let us give Him the proper thanks.When we are healed of illnesses or injuries,
even by natural means, let us give God the glory, for He is the one who blesses
us.When we receive any temporal blessing
from His hand, let us open our eyes to the love of God and even look beyond
these to His rich spiritual blessings that are in Christ (Eph. 1:3).If God has blessed us so well in this world,
then what must He have in store for those who will live with Him in
eternity?By His providence, God sent
His Son to make a way for us to obtain these blessings forever.What more could we want?What more could He give (Rom. 8:32)?Could any work of God be greater than His
powerful work of salvation through the gospel (Rom. 1:16)?Praise God for all of His mighty works!
