by Henry Knapp
If you are of a certain age (insert joke here), you might remember Ken Burns’ PBS production of The Civil War. The compelling narrative, the visual grandeur, the pace and tone and, above all, the haunting music combined to produce an absolutely marvelous, moving and motivating masterpiece. It would be hard to overstate the power of this work.
Part of its force comes from Burns’ use of diary entries and letters from loved-ones at the front. Over and over again, Burns uses these tools to draw the listener in, to personalize the soldiers, and to underline the human tragedy that was the American Civil War. Reading their words as they struggle with the looming possibility of death on the battlefield is moving beyond description.
Of course, with my interest in the Gospel, any reference to the Christian faith expressed in these century-and-a-half year old letters is intriguing. And so, one letter in particular stood out. One soldier wrote home to his loved one:
“My beloved wife, Providence has brought me to this point in my life, and I know not what Providence has in store for me tomorrow. And if it should be according to Providence that I not survive the morrow, I will entrust the care of you and of the children to that same benevolent Providence.”
The tone, character and tenderness of this letter is hard to miss—This man is expressing a great devotion to his family and a great faith in God. Of course, when you read the letter, it is necessary to adjust to some changes in the English language—The author speaks of “the morrow” (clearly meaning, “tomorrow”), “benevolence” (blessings) and “Providence” (God Himself). The use of “Providence” when speaking of God may simply be the culturally appropriate way of referring to God, or it might be a euphemism, or a nickname used by this particular soldier. But in looking at other writings from this time, it is clear that “Providence” was a common way of addressing God Himself.
The use of “Providence” when speaking of God is not accidental—it reflects an attentiveness to a work of God that we often give little credence to. We appropriately focus attention on God as Creator and God as Redeemer, and we can hardly speak of the Gospel without this focus! But God has not simply created us, He also sustains us, governs us and provides for us each and every minute of the day. The use of the term, “Providence,” in speaking of God simply tends to highlight that work of God—He maintains all things, all the time.
“Providence” refers to God’s care of the world and His supervision over it, His power in sustaining and guiding all creation. The Christian doctrine recognizes that God keeps all things existing and that He directs them to fulfill all His purposes. Whereas we might more easily today speak of “fate” or “accident,” we can use a more appropriate, accurate term—God’s providential care, His Providence.
In our passage for worship this week, the feeding of the 5,000, we see the love and care of Jesus for His followers, and the providential actions on our behalf. Please join us in worship this week as we read about God’s provision and His everyday care for His people.
Read Mark 6:30-44.
- How does verse 30 connect to the broader storyline? Why does the story of John the Baptist’s death enter in here?
- In verse 31, how do you explain Jesus’ response to the apostles’ return? Why do they go to a desolate place? How might that translate into your daily life?
- Verse 34 states that Jesus “had compassion” on the crowds. Why is that remarkable? How does Mark describe the compassion? How does that compassion show itself in the short-term? In the long-term?
- Why does Jesus tell the disciples to feed the people in verse 37? It sure looks like He is asking the impossible.
- Why does Mark note that Jesus “looked up to heaven”? What does Mark want to convey here? What did Jesus intend to convey? How do we do that today?