The Mystery of Providence

From my reading today.

John Flavel

Suppose it had been your lot to have fallen in any of those vast continents possessed by pagans and heathens at this day, who bow down to the stock of a tree, and worship the host of heaven. This is the case of millions, and millions of millions...O how deplorable had your case been if a pagan idoatress had brought you forth, and idolatry had been sucked in with your mother's milk! Then, in all probability, you had been a this day worshipping devils, and racing at full speed in the direct road to damnation, for these are the people of God's wrath.

And how great a mercy was it that we had parents who carefully instilled the good knowledge of God into our souls in our tender years?...As they longed for us before they had us and rejoiced in us when they had us, so they could not endure to think that when they could have us no more, the devil should. As they thought no pains, care or cost too much for our bodies, to feed them, clothe and heal them; so did they think no prayers, counsels, or tears, too much for our souls, that they might be saved. They knew a parting time would come between them and us, and did strive to make it as easy and comfortable to them as they could, by leaving us in Christ and within the blessed bond of His covenant.

They were not glad that we had health and indifferent whether we had grace. They felt the miseries of our souls as much as of our bodies; and nothing was more desirable to them than that they might say in the great day: 'Lord, here am I and the children which thou hast given me.'

How easy it is to look past the great Providence of God in our lives! How good He has been to me and to my family!