Jon Gary Williams

First, let's look at the word "providence." This English word is from the Middle English term, providere - pro (before) and videre (to see). In this word we find our modern term "provide" - that is, to see ahead. However, in the New Testament the Greek word is different, yet it conveys the same idea. It is pronoia - pro (before) and noea (to think). So the underlying idea behind the word providence is "to think ahead."

Though the word "providence" is never used to refer to God's providence, the idea of His providential working is clearly set forth in scriptures. We will see this later. The essence of divine providence is that God knows ahead. He thinks ahead, He plans ahead. It is God knowing of things ahead, before they happen.

God's providence is something that relates to man's future. It means that He sees ahead and merges circumstances beneficial to His people and to accomplish His own purpose.

Before going further it is necessary to point out the difference between foreknowledge and foreordination. Some have wondered, "If God knows things before they happen, does this mean He causes them to happen?" The obvious answer is no. Just because God knows things ahead, does not mean He has foreordained those things.

To show the place and purpose of divine providence, it is important to compare it with how God works in other ways. There are three realms through which God works.

First, God works through the natural realm. That is, He works through the laws of nature. He accomplishes things through physical laws which He himself set in force. A classic example of this is the healing of wounds through blood coagulation.

Second, God works thru the supernatural realm. This is, the realm of the miraculous, or the direct intervention of God, when He overrules the realm of nature. This was seen in water turned to blood, parting of the Red Sea, and restoring of sight to the blind. There were times when natural laws would not accomplish God's purposes. So He bypassed them by supernaturally changing things.

But, between these two realms is another realm - that of the providential. This is not God working through the natural realm, or through the supernatural. In this realm, to carry out His purposes, God channels the course of natural events. Looking into the future, He searches out paths through which his intentions are fulfilled.

With the supernatural God directly alters the natural realm. However, with the providential, He simply channels the course of things and works slowly in His own time frame. A classic example of this is Joseph being made a slave in Egypt and then becoming the avenue by which God accomplished His purpose.

The scriptures explicitly teach God's divine providence. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). Things that may not seem to fit together, God can work them together. Even seemingly hopeless conditions, things which seem to be out of control, God can work them together for good.

Some have asked: "Does God's divine providence have anything to do with prayer?" So, here is where prayer enters the picture. Looking again at Paul's statement that "all things work together for good," notice that just prior to this, he spoke of prayer. "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Rom. 8:26,27).

Read Paul's example of this in Romans 15:30-32. Here, he asked the brethren to pray with him, that he might come to Rome to be with them. Now Paul did not know how this would be carried out, but he trusted God's providential care.

Now notice Acts 21:12-17. When at Caesarea Paul was warned not to go to Jerusalem, but God's providence was already at work. One week later, he was arrested (21:27-33). When he was put on trial, he asked that he be allowed to appear before Caesar himself (25:11,12). Then later, he was taken to Rome. In God's providential working the prayers of Paul and the brethren in Rome were answered.

In response to prayers, God can reach down through the corridors of time and bring things together for good. We need not to be anxious. This may help us in appreciating why we do not see our prayers answered in the time frame we desire.