Lord’s Day 10: Q&A 27-28: Trusting in Providence

“We don’t believe in luck; we believe in Providence.” That’s a line that I’ve heard over the years from my Father, from my friends, and from a pastor or two. We as Reformed folk believe in the providence of our God over what people would call luck. Sometimes that’s said more tongue-in-cheek than others, but it’s true. We do not believe that things are left totally up to chance. Rather, we believe that God is moving and active in Creation, even as he may be leaving some things up to our own decisions (but we won’t get into a discussion on how much Free Will we have here).

The idea of God’s Providence is something that is seen all throughout Scripture. Esther 4 comes to mind: “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” So does Jeremiah 29: ‘“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”’ The Bible is littered with God declaring his providence for his people, reminding them of what he has done for them.

Now, the Providence of God can be a tricky subject to talk about, even in worship. If God upholds heaven, earth, and all creatures, why is there war in Palestine and Ukraine? Why was there a pandemic a few years ago? Why is there still sin and hardship in this world? Unfortunately we are fallible and do not know the mind of God. Part of trusting in God’s Providence is relying in faith that God knows what he is doing, even though we don’t understand. In light of that, I’m including in this week’s post a prayer that Chadd wrote, not for this specific Lord’s Day but for Q&A 25. I think it connects with themes from Lord’s Day 10 and gets at some of these questions we have. Here’s a couple lines to whet your appetite for this prayer: “We do not always comprehend you, Triune God, but we trust in you.” “Jesus, you show us what it means to be a true human / To live and to struggle while still following God’s good and gracious way.”

LORD’S DAY 10

Q&A 27

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

Leader: God, you are ever-present and almighty. You rule over everything with your strong right hand.

People: Yet we often doubt your providence for us and for creation, seeking to take matters into our own hands.

Leader: You provide for us, oh Father, giving us what we need, both in times of plenty and in times of hardship and adversity.

People: Yet we attribute our successes in life to chance or to our own work, and we blame you for times of trial.

Leader: Have mercy on us, Lord, for doubting in your power to provide all that we need.

People: Have mercy on us and forgive us for our desire to wrestle power away from you and trust in our own selves.

-time for silent confession-

Leader: People of God, our God is ever-present and almighty. He rules over everything with his strong right hand.

People: He provides for us and for all of creation, ruling over everything and caring for even the smallest of creatures.

Leader: God cares for us in such an awesome way that he even sent his own Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to take upon himself all of our sins and shortcomings. In Christ, we are forgiven.

People: Amen! Thanks be to God!

Q&A 28

SENDING/BENEDICTION or ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Here, the Answer is more than sufficient:

We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing in creation will separate us from his love. For all creatures are so completely in God’s hand that without his will they can neither move nor be moved.

Q&A 25

PRAYER

Triune God of Grace

Your ways are beyond our ways and your thoughts are beyond our thoughts

Loving Father, we can not comprehend your wonder and beauty

You created all the beautiful things of this world and created us in your image.

If you created all these wonderful things, how much more amazing are you.

You are so wonderful and beautiful, we can’t even fully understand who you are, loving Father

Although we call you Father, because of our sins, we are not as close to you as you desire

We fall short and turn to forming our own gods to make sense of the world.

To make that right, you came God as the Son, Jesus Christ, and took on flesh

Jesus, you show us what it means to be a true human

To live and struggle while still following God’s good and gracious way

We look to you and we see our savior, and the exact representation of the father.

God Christ Jesus who will offer himself in love for his creation.

Who defeated sin and evil and conquered death once and for all. 

Holy Spirit, we still do not fully comprehend what you do for us God.

We are limited in our understanding of the ways of God

Holy Spirit, work in us this morning to hear the words you have for us God

You reveal all these truths to us Holy spirit, in the scripture.

Work in our hearts and minds so we can know you more and more each day God.

Father Son and Holy Spirit. One God in three persons. 

Triune God, we worship and we praise you 

You are our Creator Father, and our Deliverer Son, and our Sanctifier Spirit.

We do not always comprehend you, Triune God, but we trust in you.

We offer this prayer to you Father, through the Son, by the power of the Spirit.

Amen.