The essence of “providence” in contrast with God’s miraculous works is that the latter were visible, associated with God’s spokesmen, and confirmed their word as of divine origin while the former is not visible in such a way. In other words, when God is working providentially, it is not possible to point to some act that happened and say, “God did this.”
While we were living in Romania, I received an email from a brother in Christ, J. C. Choate in Mississippi. He edited a Readers-Digest sized spiritual magazine called The Voice of Truth International (which I believe is still published). Some saint had left a copy of the VoTI on the train in Romania after their visit. A young man named Daniel, who had just finished college, was traveling back home from Bucharest to his village close to the Ukrainian border called Sighetu Mărmației. He found that magazine and read it with interest.
Daniel then wrote J. C. and told him he wanted to know more about the church of Christ. J. C. wrote me with Daniel’s contact information. I started sending Daniel Bible study material. We corresponded. When I learned he was in the Baptist Church, I sent him the copy of the Spiritual Sword issue on the Baptist Church and told him to ask me any questions. One Wednesday night after we returned home from Bible study, Daniel called and his one question dealt with the thief on the cross. I studied the question with him.
A week later, he called me wanting me to baptize him for the forgiveness of sins. It took a 13-hour train ride to get to him, and Eric, one of my coworkers, and I traveled to Sighetu Mărmației and we baptized Daniel for the forgiveness of his sins.
Was it God’s will that Daniel be baptized for the forgiveness of sins? Absolutely. The Bible teaches that. Was it God’s will that Eric and I be the ones to do it? Perhaps. It worked out that way, didn’t it? Was it God’s will that the Christian left a copy of VoTI on the train? Well, we know that neither God nor the Holy Spirit told the Christian to do that. Deity does not work that way. But it worked out well, didn’t it?
When Onesimus ran away from Philemon, he came into contact with the apostle Paul who taught him the gospel. Certainly it was God’s will that Onesimus obey the gospel. But even the inspired Paul himself said that “perhaps” Onesimus ran away and came into contact with Paul so he could learn the truth (Philemon 15).
Here is the point… when it comes to God’s providence, we ask the question: “What is God doing?” And we have to answer, “We don’t know, not exactly.” But He sure works in order to bless His children and bring the truth into the hearts and minds of those who desire to hear it.
Paul Holland
