God’s Invisible Hand

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love, who have been called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

I selected the book from my friend’s library, R.C. Sproul’s The Invisible Hand, Do All Things Really Work for Good? A paragraph on the back cover intrigued me:

On the rolling landscape of ancient Canaan, Joseph’s brothers, jealous of their younger brother’s beautiful coat and his father’s favoritism, initiated the chain of events that, generations later, would lead a young Egyptian woman to hear the cry of an infant floating on the Nile in a basket….And eventually from that encounter would come the Law….And from the keepers of the Law would come the prophecies that would point to a manger in Bethlehem…and ultimately to an empty tomb guarded by angels*….

The providence of God, a biblical doctrine, once challenged my understanding of free will. A college professor offered a helpful perspective: “God’s sovereignty/providence and man’s free will intersect outside of human understanding.”

The challenge of integrating God’s sovereignty and my free will resolved once I acknowledged that God’s ways are beyond my understanding. Rather than frustrating me, it propels me into the wonderous depths of God’s unlimited grace for my life and for all who seek Him.

Father, I enjoy the discipline of engaging with biblical truths that stretch my mind and mature my faith. Thank You for providing gifted scholars to help me engage with difficult doctrines as I grow in You. In the name of the ultimate Teacher, Jesus, I pray, amen.

Linda Lesniewski