The Sovereignty And Providence Of God Extends Over The Animals

Unto You I lift

up my eyes,

O You who dwell

in the heavens.

Behold, as the eyes

of servants look

to the hand

of their masters,

So our eyes 

look to the LORD 

our God,

Until He 

Has mercy on us.

Psalm 123:1-2

     The Sovereign God Providentially controls and directs His creation. This Providential care, as taught in Scripture, extends to irrational animals. It was God who created them (Genesis 1) It God who gave them life, and it is God who provides for them and supplies their wants. It is in God's hand that all life of every living thing: "In whose hand is the life of every living things" (Job 12:10; cf. Acts 17:28). God provides food and life for the animals as the Psalmist attests: "The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God" (Psalm 104:21). It is to all, even to animals, that the Providential care is extended and this by the Sovereignty of God: "These all wait for You, that You may give them their food in due season. What You give them they gather in; You open Your hand, they are filled with good" (Psalm 104:27-28). Jesus on the mount, in His sermon, reminds us that we cannot serve two masters, and that we are not to worry about our lives. If then, God feeds and cares for animals, how much more will He care for His children, and give to all the grace of goodness, i.e., rain, sun, food, etc.? Jesus states: "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more value than they" (Matthew 6:26)? God gives life to all plants, animals, and especially to man, yet far often man goes much to far in their recognition of God's Sovereignty and Providence for they worship Him in ways that are not pleasing to God as though He needed that "something" more: "Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things" (Acts 17:25). 

     Do not address those words of Scripture as though they were only stated as poetic, a means to express ideas that the laws of nature are ordained of God, arranged so that all the necessities of life are met, for if you do you have explained away God's Providential intervention. Do not allow the fact that the world being created by God is then adapted to meet the needs and wants of His creatures. No! The fact is that man is dependent upon God and His constant exercise of His care. It is God who either gives or withholds what they need according to His good pleasure. Pleasure is not to be mistaken as though God is becoming happy because of what He does, pleasure is that He controls all things according to His end desire and purpose for all that God is and does is good. In fact, for most all Christians, as it should be, the Lord's prayer is telling us that we must depend upon God: "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). This prayer should be our prayer everyday, for we ask for "daily bread" to be given, not "weekly bread,"  We depend daily upon the provisions that God in His Providence gives and supplies. No, He does not drop down from the sky manna as He did for the Israelites in the desert, a special occasion and need for those traveling thousands of Jews, rather, He provides for His people their needs and wants in this world as we work, as we make decisions for ourselves and loved ones. God reminds us that we are to be actively involved in each day to provide and do all we can and in the activity of our life, within the motives of our hearts to provide and protect, God will give us our "daily bread." It is a matter of confusion of the mind to admit that God cares for irrational animals, they neither sow, or work for their food, therefore God will provide as well for us. Yes, He will provide, and this He does in many ways, giving to the poor, sending a goat to those people in poverty, helping a friend. This we do each day in some way as God makes the way possible and He will if you are asking for Him to do so, a matter of the heart it is and this is where God looks to see the inner man. The writer of the provers makes this plain and clear: "The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth" (Proverbs 26:15). God is our provider and this He does Providentially, yet we are warned not to be lazy nor boastful. Many people boast in their riches of life, that all is going well, that God is providing and then they begin to lose the importance of God's commands and simply rely on their own devises reminding themselves that they are God's children and will be provided as He does the animals: Watch out: "Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what  a day ay bring forth" (Proverbs 27:1).

I said in my heart,

 

God shall judge the

     righteous

and the wicked,

     for there is a time

there for every purpose

     and for everywork.

                        Ecclesiastes 3:17

May God Bless This Day

Richard L. Crumb