Articles
Participating in Providence
We often consider God’s providence to be something that requires miraculous suspensions of the normal course of nature. However, throughout the whole of scripture, God provided for his servants through the faithfulness and kindness of other people. This is a good reminder in a few ways. It teaches us that God has many ways to provide, and it reminds us that we can all be a part of God’s providence by serving others.
Even though we know that we can all serve God purposes, it seems that we work to keep ourselves out of that position by finding excuses. When we see some of the ways that people took care of God’s faithful speakers, we are left without an excuse in the world.
Elijah was provided for by a starving widow. After God miraculously made sure that Elijah would have food brought by the ravens (I Kings 17:1-7), God then gave the prophet an opportunity to live with a widow and her son. When Elijah asked for some food, the widow communicated their dire position. “As the LORD your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.” The prophet then promised that her supplies would not run out if she brought him some bread first. The woman obeyed and cared for Elijah for a long time, eventually seeing her son raised from the dead in accordance with her faithfulness. (I Kings 17:8-24)
How many times do we look at our situation and see a reason not to serve because we don’t have what we feel are ample resources? How can we learn to serve in faith as we read about this widow’s example? Also see: Luke 4:25-26
Elisha was provided for by a childless lady. After the prophet had provided a widow with a temporary income through a miraculous flow of oil (II Kings 4:1-7), there was a rich and prominent woman who decided to care for him. She even asked her husband, “Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God passing by us continually. Please, let us make a little walled upper chamber and let us set a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; and it shall be, when he comes to us, [that] he can turn in there.” If thanks for her generosity, the prophet gave her the ability to conceive and she was blessed with a child. Afterward, when that child fell ill and died, Elisha even raised her son from the dead. (II Kings 4:8-37)
The New Testament is also not lacking in records of women from all walks of life serving God with whatever resources they have. (Luke 2:36-38; 8:1-4; 21:1-4; Acts 9:36-43) May we have the same dedication to seek out opportunities to serve instead of only settling for excuses.
