It Just So Happened

“THAT NIGHT THE KING COULD NOT SLEEP” (Esther 6:1). It just so happened that the night before the morning in which Haman came to ask the king for permission to execute Mordecai, the king could not sleep. And since the king could not sleep he happened to get his servant to read to him from the record of his reign. His servant happened to turn to the part that recorded that Mordecai had exposed an assassination plot on the king. And it was discovered that Mordecai had never been honored for that. Before Haman could utter his request the king ordered him to lead the parade that would honor Mordecai. It just so happened. Has anything just so happened for you?

An old catechism defines the providence of God this way: “The providence of God is his most holy, wise, and powerful, preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions”. Christians who know this about God can find some peace of mind in their circumstances. Nothing can “just happen” unless God allows or decrees it, whether good or bad.

David acknowledged this about God when he said, “Your throne is established in the heavens and your sovereignty rules over all.” After his humbling Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged this when he said, “He rules over the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth and no one can hold back his hand or question what he is doing.” Jesus encouraged his disciples to believe that, “not even a sparrow can fall to the ground apart from your Father’s will.” As you read the Bible you will discover that this is the assumption from cover to cover. Sometimes we have to take a deep breath and trust the providence of God. He is in control.