Knowing God as Creator and Provider

Sunday Seminary—5

Know What You Believe. Believe What You Know.

Jesus sent His apostles to teach new disciples everything He had taught them. Paul later called this “the standard of teaching” (Rom. 6:17), and he rejoiced with believers who obeyed it from the heart. That same truth continues to shape our faith today.  

Continuing our Sunday Seminary, the God who exists, is knowable through His creation, providence, and especially Word, and is Triune, is the God we can know as Creator and Provider.

God the Creator

The psalmist says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). Every sunrise, every galaxy, every breath you take—each is a sermon declaring that God made it all. Creation is God’s art gallery, and the signature on every piece reads, “By Me.” The Belgic Confession (article 12) puts it this way: 

We believe that the Father created heaven and earth and all other creatures from nothing, when it seemed good to Him, by His Word—that is to say, by His Son.

People sometimes dismiss that as “anti-scientific.” But think for a moment about how much faith modern theories of the universe require. The Big Bang says all things began with a dense point of matter—but where did that matter come from? The “Big Bounce” theory says the universe rebounded from a previous one—but where did the first universe originate? The Multiverse? The Simulation Hypothesis? All of them, in one way or another, dodge the ultimate question: why anything exists at all.

Scripture gives the answer: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). He alone is the uncaused Cause, the One who spoke everything into being by His Word.

His handiwork isn’t just “out there” in the stars—it’s seen in you. The Confession reminds us that He gave every creature its being, form, and purpose. That means you were made intentionally. You have meaning because your Maker has meaning. You were created for God and by God. Live out your purpose with your hands, your work, your worship. As you look at creation, let it turn your heart toward your Creator in awe and gratitude.

Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo (1508–1512)

God the Provider

God not only made everything—He sustains everything. The Belgic Confession (article 13) says: 

We believe that this good God, after He created all things, did not abandon them to chance or fortune but leads and governs them according to His holy will.

That’s what the apostle Paul meant when he said that God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11). He’s not a distant architect who walked away from His project. He’s the hands-on Provider who governs all things, guiding creation toward His good purposes.

Of course, this raises a question: if God is in control, is He responsible for evil? The Confession helps us think clearly here. God’s power and goodness are so great that He works through even the unjust actions of angels and people without being the author of their sin. Nothing escapes His sovereign plan—and yet, His hands are never stained by evil.

Be humble and reverent before the mystery of God’s providence. We can’t always understand why He allows what He allows, but we can trust that His purposes are good. And that truth gives unspeakable comfort. As the Confession says, “Nothing can happen to us by chance but only by the arrangement of our gracious heavenly Father.” Not a hair falls from your head, not a bird drops from the sky, apart from His will.

God’s Purpose in Your Life

You can know God as both Creator and Provider. Hide that truth in your head, love it deep in your heart, and live it out with your hands. The One who made you also sustains you. He holds your world—and your life—together with purpose and care.