Key Text: "When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went." Ezekiel 1:17

God rules the universe and the providence of God is in control of all people on the whole planet. He is working in and through His people. Sometimes we may doubt or get discouraged, but God is in control.

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Philippians 2:13. Therefore, we should live a life of patience, practice the faith of assurance and walk on the promises of God trusting Him completely. He knows best, and we can trust Him. His providence never fails.

"Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, ‘Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee.’ This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day, you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ." Steps to Christ, E. G. White, p. 70.

Last month in the first part of the sermon-of-the month we pointed out four things having to do with the providence of God. This month in Part II we see five more points on this great and tremendous theme. The foundation thought is, "God, the Creator, is in charge."

"The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of a beryl..." Verse 16. Beryl in Scripture is commonly used to describe the ocean (sea) because it appears as different colors. The sea sometimes appears as green, other times as blue. Many songs have been written about the lakes, rivers, and the sea. The sea has been the object of many stories and books. We will compare it to God’s providence.

1. The sea is never still, and neither is the providence of God. The sea is always moving and so is God’s will and way. Providence is never at a standstill. As we sleep or perhaps if we are ill for a length of time, God’s will and way moves along. The moon shines upon the sea, and the stars glisten on the waves, but the sea keeps moving. So it is with God’s providence. The moon and the stars cannot be moved; nor can providence. The farmer sleeps, but his wheat is growing. The sailor sleeps, but the ship continues on in an ocean that is moving. The wind and waves of the sea carried the ships for ages rolled upon ages. They never stop, and God’s providence never ceases.

2. Men cannot manage the sea; nor can man manage providence. We see the sea, but we cannot make the waves stop, nor can we stop God’s providence. We see that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Person of the Bible and that the cross is central to Christianity. The cross represents the foolishness of man and the power of God. Men crucified the Lord Jesus and then called for Him to come down from the cross. It was the will of God for His Son to die on the cross and make atonement for our sins. God’s providence is working. I thank God for those wonderful words of our Savior, "...nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done." (Luke 22:42)

3. The sea is not to be governed by man. Ships move across the sea like a sheet of paper blowing in the wind. Ships move easily across the waves of the sea. The sea cannot be restrained, chained nor kept in check nor managed by man. So it is with the providence of God.

Napoleon was a man of war. He was victorious over nations, but he could not conquer the ocean. Napoleon once heard it said that man proposes and God disposes. "Ah," said Napoleon, "but I propose and dispose, too." How do you think he proposed and disposed? He proposed to go and take Russia; he proposed to make all of Europe his. He proposed to destroy that power, and what happened? He came back solitary and alone, his mighty army perished and wasted having well nigh eaten and devoured one another because of hunger.

Here is a solid truth that has stood the test through the ages. "It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."

"...and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel." Verse 16. Now, friend, here is where we must honor God and trust Hm. We never will understand some of the things that happen in this life. We cannot see as God sees. He sees in the past, the present, and the future all at one time. You and I want to see the benefits of affliction. We want to see how affliction is going to help us. We say, why did this or that come into my life? Do not say why! Do not ask. We shall know the reason when we get to heaven. While we are here, we can trust God and know that things work toward our good. Present tense we cannot see, but down the road we will see.

If we pray and ask God to lead us, if we pray and let go so the Holy Spirit is able to work out God’s way according to God’s will, we can know for sure God is with us. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28. "For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God." II Corinthians 4:15.

Look back through your life and most likely you have had things happen that never seemed to fall in place. Then, things changed, the wheel turned and you saw that what happened was for your good and certainly for the purpose and glory of God.

"When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went." Verse 17. Now friends, God moves right along with His will and way. His providence just continues to move like the waves of the ocean. His providence just moves along like the swift flow of water in a big creek or river.

We make our plans, we mark off a certain project, and many times get in the middle and find that we did not count the cost. Not so with God. What He starts, He finishes. That is why we can feel good about going to heaven and receiving everlasting, eternal life. He has promised it, and He will do it. You can trust God. God lays the foundations and always finishes the top stone.

God cannot change. How would He change? Would He change from worse to better? If He should change from worse to better, then He is not perfect now. If He should change from better to worse, then He certainly would not be perfect. He would not be God if He could change to perfect. He would not be God if He should change from perfect to something worse.

Can God change because He has no power? Can God change because He has no patience? Can God change because He makes mistakes? God is not a god of wood and stone. He is not a god of nature, but the God, the Creator God over nature. Friend, I could not believe in a god that is always changing His mind, a god that does not know what is going on and does not know which way to go. I could not believe in a gospel that has an author and founder like that. But I am happy to say that I believe in the true God, in a God that "was and is, and is to come." I know He cannot change.

The amazing thing about God’s providence is that God is working. He knows all things and is in charge of all things. He controls all things. He can and does open doors and shut doors. The sins of man, the wickedness of our race, the crimes of the many nations, wars, pestilence - all these in one way or another in some mysterious way are helping work out the overall providence of God.

I cannot explain it. I cannot understand all the things that happen, but I must trust God and say, "our God knows best. He knows the beginning and the end, and in His kingdom, all my questions will be answered."

The German preacher and theologian, Horathus Bonar (1857), wrote the song: Thy Way, Not Mine.

Thy way, not mine, O Lord, However dark it be;

Lead me by Thine own hand, choose out the path for me.

Smooth let it be or rough, It will be still the best;

Winding or straight, it leads Right onward to Thy rest.

John Newton was known to tell his story of the two streets. Going to church one weekend, he walked down a certain street and met a young man who stopped him because he wished to speak to him. For a number of days, the young man had desired to speak with Mr. Newton. John Newton always stated: "Here is providence. I had a choice to go down another street, but no, I went down this certain street and talked to a certain young man." Here is providence, but here, too, is Mr. Newton’s choice.

God’s providence is working in everlasting love for the good of the human race. The teaching of true providence is for the good of all the world. Providence is not what must be, but it is that what works together for the good of our race. You see, friend, the wheels are full of eyes, not blind wheels.

Let us remember that God hath said, "All things work together for good" even better still, they "work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

"Though the way may be rough, it cannot be long,

So smooth it with hope, and cheer it with song."

Let this be our shield to keep off the thrusts of distress; let this be a high and solid rock against all the winds of sadness and sorrow. C. A. Tindley wrote the song: "We’ll Understand it Better By and By". And that is the thought we will close with this month.

We are often tossed and driv’n on the restless sea of time,

Somber skies and howling tempest oft succeed a bright sunshine,

In that land of perfect day, when the mists have rolled away, We will

understand it better by and by. By and by

when the morning comes, when the saints are gathered home.