Does God Exercise Special Care over His People Now?
By Restitution
No BIBLE reader will deny that God’s people, in the ages covered by the divine record, have enjoyed his care and protection. This is too apparent to be denied. They have not only been the recipients of his general beneficence with the rest of mankind, but in addition, have received special favors. The patriarchs, prophets, Israel, the apostles, and primitive disciples, all were specially cared for by the divine Being. This they knew, and hence they trusted in him. This David acknowledged when he said, “They that know thy name will put their trust in thee; for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” Ps. 9: 10. But it is denied by some, that in this age, or during Christ’s absence from the earth, God exercises any special care over his people. This opinion seems to be founded mainly on the fact that now we see no miraculous interference, or angelic service rendered, as in former times. It does not follow, however, that because there is no outward or visible manifestation of God’s care, that therefore he does regard or assist his children. This idea seems to us derogatory to the character of God, and detracts from the truth and honor of his word. God is the Creator of all things, and as such, he has a general care and supervision over all the works of his hands, and is the great Father of all. But his people claim a closer relationship—they are taught to address him as “Our Father, who art in Heaven.” This is special, and implies special favor. If there is no present advantage to be gained by this endearing connection, then we are at a loss to understand many precious promises of the word. We live in an era of the world when the arts and sciences flourish, and progress is the order of the day; but this increase in knowledge has only tended to infidelity. And to the shame of the Christian world be it said, that the church is largely imbued with its spirit. The earthly has ignored the heavenly—the flesh the spirit—the human the divine. God may be recognized as the great first cause; but he is looked upon as far away, and only operating through law, and that it is in vain for any one to look for his special favor. But it was not so in ancient times. Everything was referred to the hand of the Lord. David recognized and acknowledged God’s care and protection. He it was who delivered him from the mouth of the lion and the paw of the bear—he it was who saved him from the persecuting hand of Saul, and from the prowess of Goliath of Gath; and it was not to his own skill or valor that he ascribed anything. No! he called all his powers to “bless the Lord, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercy; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Ps. 103: 1–5. Some seem to think, at least so it appears from the way in which they talk, that the saints of old always had some visible token of God’s care over them, and hence they refer to the ministration of angels, of which we read in so many places. But we should not forget that these messengers of the Lord were sent on extraordinary occasions, in order to convey his word, or execute his will; and those special cases cannot legitimately be cited as illustrating the common experience of the people of God, even in the ages when those visitations took place. When the Lord promised his people that he would be with them and bless them, are we to understand that he would be visible to them, or his working always known? This promise was made to both Isaac and Jacob (Gen. 26: 3, 24), and was fulfilled, and in numerous other cases; but we cannot suppose that Jehovah was any nearer or more present with them than any other of his saints, who have lived in other ages, or who may be alive now. The psalmist David says, “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.” Ps. 145: 18. And Moses, Israel’s great lawgiver, asks, “What nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?” Deut. 4: 7. The Lord is near to his people, according to this language, when they call upon him in a proper manner—near to hear and answer their prayers. If this is not so, then we cannot understand many portions of the word. What mean such statements as these: “The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.” “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry”? Of what avail or benefit to have the155Lord’s eyes upon us, and his ears open to our cry, unless it be to help or protect. Hence we again read, “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” The Lord hears to save and deliver. Ah! says one, this is all well enough, and was true in by-gone ages, but will not apply now. God heard his people then, and delivered them, as we have evidence in many instances. He did this on many extraordinary occasions; but we have no reason to expect that he will step out of his ordinary course at the present time. But we ask whether we are to regard answers to prayer, which God’s people have experienced in all ages, as always extraordinary or miraculous. Were there none of the ordinary kind? And if there were, why not some of the same kind now, since God is unchangeable? We think the Scriptures teach that the saints of this age are just as precious, and as much the objects of his care and protection, as in days of old. Our Saviour taught his disciples that God was their Father, and that his care would be exercised on their behalf. Hence he taught them to pray to him; to ask and they should receive; to trust in him; to have faith and confidence in his power and willingness to supply their wants. And he illustrated this by his own conduct. The apostles, too, in their epistles, inculcate the same doctrine. Peter says, “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.” Paul exhorts: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.” And again: “Be content with such things as ye have; for he has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” But how can we exercise this trust in God, if we cannot believe that he is our Father, and near to help us? Surely, we lose all the comfort such confidence is calculated to give. John writes: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.” And James says, We have not, because we ask not; or we ask and receive not, because we ask amiss. Oh! let us trust God more, confide in his care; believe that he is near, and not afar off, and that he is our God and Father. We need his care and love now, just as much as saints have done in other ages. And there is nothing to hinder us from drawing on his mercy, but our unbelief. God is “the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.” “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” “The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” Then let us draw near unto the Lord, and he will draw near unto us, and we shall experience with the psalmist that he is both “a sun and a shield, and will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”—Restitution.