Three words to remove from your vocabulary
Adobe
ChatGPTNever doubt the providence of God. One of my favorite stories of God's amazing providence is revealed in the following story.
A British family went to Scotland one summer for a vacation. The mother and father were looking forward to enjoying the beautiful Scottish countryside with their son.
But one day, the son wandered off by himself and got into trouble. As he walked through the woods, he came across an abandoned swimming hole, and as most boys his age do, he took off his clothes and jumped in!
He was totally unprepared for what happened next. Before he had time to enjoy the pool of water, he was seized by a vicious attack of cramps. He began calling for help while fighting a losing battle with the cramps to stay afloat.
Fortunately, a farm boy was working in a nearby field. When he heard the frantic cries for help, he rescued the English boy and brought him to safety
The father of the boy who had been rescued was, of course, very grateful.
The next day, he went to meet the youth who had saved his son's life, and the two talked. The Englishman asked the brave lad what he planned to do with his future.
The boy answered, "I'll be a farmer like my father."
The grateful father said, "Is there something else you would rather do?"
"Oh, yes," answered the Scottish lad. "I've always wanted to be a doctor, but we are poor and could never afford to pay for the education."
"Never mind that," said the Englishman. "You shall have your heart's desire and study medicine. Make your plans, and I'll take care of the costs."
So the Scottish lad did indeed become a doctor.
The intriguing part of the story is that years later, in December of 1943, Winston Churchill (the English boy), became deathly ill with pneumonia. While in North Africa, his life was saved for a second time by the same Scottish boy, Sir Alexander Fleming, who had become that doctor.
This time he was saved with a new drug Fleming had invented, the first antibiotic, penicillin.
Two years later, under the unshakable leadership of Churchill, Britain and her allies would defeat Hitler and the Nazis, ending the most diabolical regime in history. Holy Moments, Matthew Kelly, p. 165-67)
One never knows how the providence of God is shaping events of history to conform to his will.
It is so true that "The King's heart is like channels of water in the hands of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes. (Proverbs 21:1)."
Genesis tells about Joseph, who was sold by his brothers to be a slave in Egypt, but who eventually became the prime minister of the land.
Paul and Barnabas had such a bitter quarrel about taking John Mark on a missionary journey that they wound up going their separate ways, resulting in two successful preaching expeditions instead of one.
Charles Swindoll suggests, "It is time to remove three words from our vocabulary as we add the word providence to our communication. They are chance, fate, and luck. Those humanistic terms suggest there are blind, impersonal, and spontaneous forces at work in the ranks of humanity. NOT! Only One is at work in you, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" Philippians (2:13)."
Swindoll continues, "Take heart my friend. God is in full control. Nothing is happening on Earth that brings a surprise to Heaven. Nothing is outside the scope of his divine radar screen as he guides us safely home. Things that seem altogether confusing, without reason, unfair, even wrong, do indeed fit into the father's providential plan. "The Finishing Touch, Charles Swindoll, p. 140
Aren't you glad He's in control?
 | Tom Crenshaw serves as Connections Pastor of the New Monmouth Baptist Church (non denominational) where he previously served as a three year interim.He has been married to Jean for almost 50 years, and they have four children, all of whom are teachers.Tom loves perennial gardening, umpiring high school baseball, coaching baseball and football, fishing for small mouth bass, rooting for his favorite team, the Cleveland Indians, and listening to ‘real’ country music, the classic kind. Learn More » |
More on Leadership Development & Discipleship
- Living between grace and truth (by David Bowman)
- Over-solving: what it is, how it happens, and why it hurts your leadership (by Scott Cochrane)
- How should pastors organize their libraries? (by Thom Rainer)
- The causes and cure for leadership burnout (by Charles Stone)
