People used to look to God for their needs, confident that He would listen and provide. Today, many rely on themselves or available services, often not even thinking of praying for His help. Society's wealth and self-sufficiency may lead us to feel we do not need God's assistance, as the world seems to function without Him. The world's system has weakened our faith in God's providence. God is a giving God, truly wanting to provide the right things to us, whether our requests are big or little. We are encouraged to ask Him for our needs as a child asks a father, fostering a more intimate relationship with Him. God desires to show Himself strong for those loyal to Him, wanting our hearts committed and integrated with His. He seeks constant, consistent seeking of Him and His will, not wavering or distant children. We should draw close to Him in humility and love, making our requests known, even for the little things, that He may act decisively on our behalf.

God's providence encompasses not only what He provides but also the timing of His provisions. He supplies essentials like food and clothing, as well as interventions such as weather changes, favor in others' eyes, and protection. Beyond material needs, He orchestrates events and circumstances to test, develop, and correct His children, preparing them for His Kingdom. We are called to trust in what He provides, whether it be a thing, a circumstance, or an event, as there is no alternative but to rely on Him. Anxiety over these provisions immobilizes us from fulfilling our responsibility to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, with the assurance that all these things shall be added unto us. His foresight and provision are evident in how He watched over Israel, ensuring their safe departure from Egypt without even a dog barking. His providence operates within His purpose, providing what aligns with His will, which is always sufficient for our needs. The lesson of trust in God's providence is vividly illustrated in the life of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, meaning God rules or commands. Jacob, a man of vigor and deceit, had to learn through a wrestling match provided by God that it is He who orders life. This humbling experience taught Jacob to submit to God's will without anxiety, a lesson marked by a permanent injury to his hip and a new name to constantly remind him that God rules. As spiritual children of Israel, we too must submit to God's rule in our lives, trusting in His provision and overcoming our own will. Jacob's victory was not over God but with God, achieved through repentance and submission, prevailing over his own desires. God uses Jacob's example to call the nation of Israel to repentance, urging them to follow Jacob's path of humbling themselves before Him. Just as Jacob learned through painful and humbling circumstances, the nation is warned against crafty scheming and deceitful control, reminded that God orders the life of His elect. His faithfulness in dealing with His covenant people ensures that the lessons of providence and submission apply to all of Jacob's spiritual descendants, encouraging us to wait on God continually for His blessings rather than seizing them through our own means.

God's providence is a profound assurance that He is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives, whether we perceive events as blessings or curses. He engineers circumstances, as seen in the life of Joseph, where what appeared as an evil act by his brothers was orchestrated by God to bring about a great blessing, saving many from starvation and fostering reconciliation within the family. This demonstrates that God's plans often transcend our immediate understanding, turning apparent hardships into steps toward His greater purpose. In the lives of Jacob and others, we see that God's providence includes both foresight and provision. He sees in advance and provides at the perfect time to fulfill His will, as when He promised Jacob protection and guidance, guarding and preserving him through trials. Even when Jacob's faith wavered during bitter circumstances, such as believing Joseph was dead, God's overarching plan was at work, ultimately revealing His care and purpose. God's involvement is not passive; He actively manages events, sometimes restricting free moral agency to ensure His ends are met, much like a wise parent guiding a child. He does not leave His children to chance, for His responsibility and name are too significant. As a loving Father, He will not fail us, ensuring that what He begins, He will complete. The concept of providence, derived from words meaning to see beforehand and to provide, emphasizes God's proactive care. He does not merely observe but watches over us, providing exactly what is needed for His purpose, even if it differs from our desires. This is evident in the precise timing and provision during Israel's exodus, where He watched so closely that not even a dog barked, ensuring their safe departure. Our response to God's providence must be one of faith, trusting that He will supply our needs without anxiety. While we are not relieved of personal responsibility to work and prepare, we must act without fear, as David did when praying fervently for his child, yet accepting God's will when the outcome was not as hoped. This balance of prayer and action reflects our trust in God's perfect provision and timing. Ultimately, God's providence assures us that He is the prime mover of all events, working out His purpose above all human or adversarial influence. In Jacob's wrestling with God, we learn that no matter our strength or cunning, His will prevails. Jacob's name change to Israel, meaning God commands or arranges, underscores that it is God who orders life, not us, teaching us to submit to His direction rather than struggle against it. His purpose will always be accomplished, and our lives, under His care, hold far greater significance than we can imagine.

Worship of God encompasses every act in our relationship with Him, reflecting the deference and respect we give Him in all areas of life. It reveals the value we place on being like Him and pleasing Him. Faith is foundational to this relationship, as Hebrews 11:1 states it is the substance of things hoped for, and without it, we cannot please Him. We are to worship Him by faith in His sovereignty, His providence, and His faithfulness. He provides abundant evidence for us to grasp these truths, enabling us to worship Him in faith if we receive what He reveals. God's faithfulness ensures that He does not hide His way but makes it readily available to His children. Regardless of human unfaithfulness, He remains true and faithful, as His Word is always reliable. Our hope and conviction in His promises, including eternal life, rest solely on His unwavering faithfulness to provide and sustain us. Therefore, worship that pleases Him is rooted in faith in His providence, responding to what He has spoken and provided.