Providence of God

Many years ago, I heard Andy Stanley say that he uses the following prayer in his life:

Lord, I surrender to you, help me to accept what You provide.

This simply prayer is a phrase that I have, over the years, also stated on a daily basis and encouraged others to speak as well. 

An attitude of surrender has become more and more compelling to me over the years, especially as I learn about the true Grace of God that has been gifted to me and what it means to then walk In Christ. My walk, as I have been seeing, is one of gratitude, where I am compelled to walk in a worthy manner. But, I also see the Word expressing to me that discipline is a choice. So, while my motive for living is not to be in order to receive something, but instead as a thank you to God for what He has done for me, I also each day, must commit to surrender myself to Him. But, in this surrender, it is not about me then wielding or willing myself closer to God. God has provided this. 

As I read in Tabletalk for August 28, 

Providence comes into the English language from the Latin terms pro and vide, which mean “see” and “before,” respectively. Thus, providence refers in the first instance to what the Lord sees in advance. Such seeing beforehand is not merely temporal. Indeed, God sees the end from the beginning, although this is not because He merely looks into the future but because He Himself Has ordained it, even down to the exact length of our lifetimes (Ps. 39:4; Isa. 46:8–10). But divine providence goes beyond the temporal to also encompass the spatial. Nothing in creation, no matter where it is, ever escapes God’s view (Ps. 139:7–12). 

Believers should take great comfort in this truth. If even the sparrow is ever before the Lord, then certainly God is far more concerned with us, for we are more valuable than the sparrow (Matt. 10:28–31). Divine providence tells us that the Creator sees our sin, but more than that it tells us He also sees and cares about all of our joys, tears, aches, and fears.

This really adds more understanding to my daily prayer. My attitude daily is one of surrender. I am surrendering not to my will, but the will of God. And I'm accepting not what he will provide, but what His will provides. God sees in ways I cannot see. He sees it all and nothing escapes His view. I still pray. God commands me to seek Him. I still request God's work. He wants to hear from me. He asks me to intercede for others. Why? "God works through our supplications to execute His plan."

Lord, I surrender to you. Help me -- to accept -- what You provide. 

Thank You Lord for your hand of providence.