You’ve seen it often in cartoons when a large object was falling toward the “hero, the good guy,” and he just stepped aside and whatever was coming toward him missed hitting him. It’s entertaining as youths to watch and enjoy watching these cartoons. Those stories have so little to do with our lives, but today sometimes adults talk about the providence of God as though these children cartoons illustrate how He works. There is no Biblical evidence that God whispers in your ear and you step aside and the falling piano misses you.
Is God concerned about what is happening in our lives? Absolutely! His eyes are over us, and His ears are open right now to our prayers (1 Pet. 3:12). These words are quoted from Psalm 34, for the nature of God’s providence has not changed. Think about this for a moment. Where did God ever whisper “holy hunches” into the ears of the saints? Neither He nor the Holy Spirit has ever delivered silent messages to saints to help them avoid “falling pianos.”
The problem with this view is that it fails when the “falling pianos” actually do fall on us. How do we deal with them? Where was God? Why did He not warn me? Are there times when I cannot trust God? We cannot just believe in providence when we avoid wrecks, for we often are involved in accidents! Job said it best, “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” God did not forsake Job. He did not give him silent messages. Job may have never known about the conversation between God and Satan.
How does the Bible speak about daily situations in our lives? Paul converted a runaway slave, but never said God sent him into my life and told me to talk to this slave. Paul said, “Perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever” (Phile. 13). Paul does not deny that it could have happened, but without a specific revelation from heaven, he still said, “Perhaps.” Mordecai did not say to Esther that God made you queen of Persia to save the Jews. He said, “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esth. 4:14). God has spoken to individuals to accomplish His plans, but He has never used “holy hunches” as a way to talk to men.
He works in our lives! Understanding Paul’s “perhaps” and Mordecai’s “who knows” makes life so exciting. His eyes are over us. He uses us. But where is the Biblical evidence that He silently tells us to step aside just before the piano falls? Look at what is happening in your life and live each day knowing He is part of your life. Do not forget that when God speaks, He does not “whisper.” He “shouts.”
