Saturday, September 29, 2012

Of Providence

In my elective class on the Westminster Confession Faith here at Covenant Seminary, Dr. Calhoun asks us to memorize questions from the Westminster Shorter Catechism.  Upon our arrival at class, we occasionally have quizzes on the assigned catechism questions.  The plan last Tuesday was, after studying the night before, that I would wake up and review a bit more so that I would be well ready for the quiz.

Things did not go according to plan.  I overslept my alarm and only had fifteen minutes to get ready.  As I pulled onto I-170, traffic was dead stopped.  I was listening to Holly Dutton's Catechism questions set to music, trying to firm up the questions for the day in my head, and then the words sunk in:

What are God's works of providence?
God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions.

It was as if, after studying this question so diligently  I heard it for the first time.  Westminster is very clear that humans are responsible creatures, yet ultimately, it is God who is in control.  It is so easy for me to get so hung up on what I do, that I forget that I have a kind and gracious Father who loves and cares for me.  An all-powerful Father who wants what is best for me.

Looking back on that morning, oversleeping my alarm was a very good thing.  I was completely exhausted and needed some extra rest.  It turned out that we didn't have a quiz that morning, and traffic cleared just in time for me to make it to class.  But what I needed most that morning were not those little graces, what I needed was a reminder that my God is in control, that He loves me, and that He will care for me, just as He always has.