The God of the details

The first book in the Bible, Genesis, is about beginnings. It’s a book about the beginning of creation, the beginning of God’s revelation to humanity, and the beginning of living in a broken and sinful world. In addition, throughout Genesis, we see God beginning to show his plan of redemption of a rebellious humanity and his plan to showcase his glory above all. But there is one thing that did not begin in Genesis: God himself and his perfect will. The first lines of Genesis remind us, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The Triune God of creation did not become God at creation. He was always, and will always be, an eternal God.

Additionally, in the book of Ephesians, we learn that God’s plan for the world and humanity were put in place before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Therefore, God is God of the details, that there is nothing that happens in this world apart from his infinite power and wisdom. Nothing happens to anyone by chance, coincidence, outside of his will.

This knowledge and power is incomprehensible for many of us, but it shouldn’t take away our delight in it. It is excellent that God is not like his creation, because He is better. If we begin to grasp the reality that God is sovereign over all, our fears of the unknown future can be replaced by a trust in the one who does. Throughout our lives, we will find ourselves in situations that are above our control. The world is not short of brokenness and nightmare circumstances but let us not forget the message of Genesis. That there is a good God who is over all, and what is meant by evil by some, God meant it for good (Gen 50:20). That God governs all things for his good. Ultimately, God providence is on greatest display at the cross of Jesus Christ, where God’s plan of redemption and the penalty of our sins were absorbed by Jesus Christ to those who have placed their trust and faith in Him. The details leading up to cross were not random or unintentional, but every detail was a part of the perfect will of God, a will that existed long before creation.

I encourage all of us to remember that God knows the details and is in the details, and he can be trusted in all things because he is and was before all things.

Luke Wartgow is lead pastor at Carson Valley Bible Church.