Who led Abram out of paganism? Who delivered the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt? Who gave the Promised Land to Israel? Who gave Naomi offspring through Ruth? Who preserved the Jews by preserving and positioning Esther? Who turns the hearts of kings (Prov. 21:1)? Who establishes men’s steps (Prov. 16:9)? Who orchestrated the death of the Son of God including the free wicked actions of men (Acts 4:27-28)? God.

We wake up in the morning and perhaps lay in bed for a while. We get out of bed. We start our day. It is likely that most of us seldom contemplate our existence. We are likely settled into our own existence, and the routine of life has likely lulled you and me into a certain unawareness of our existence.

Of course, you are aware that you exist and are alive. That’s not what I mean by “unawareness.” What I mean is that it is easy for us to simply not think about the fact that we exist, move, and act because God Himself sustains and governs us. We wake up because God wills it. We eat breakfast because God wills it. The food we eat and the coffee we drink are ultimately gifts that God places on our tables and in our cups. As God’s creatures, we do not exist because we will ourselves to exist; we exist because God wills us to exist. What tremendous grace.

Louis Berkhof is a renowned 20th-century American-Dutch theologian. He studied under B. B. Warfield and Geerhardus Vos at Princeton Theological Seminary. In his helpful book Systematic Theology Berhof wrote this:

It is characteristic of all that is creature, that it cannot continue to exist in virtue of its own inherent power. It has the ground of its being and continuance in the will of its Creator. Only He who created the world by the word of His power, can uphold it by His omnipotence. [1]

Self-determination, individualism, and humanism are American ideals. In fact, self-determination, individualism, and humanism are sinful human ideals. As human beings, we are inclined to minimize God’s providence and to maximize our own power, will, and determination. This is mistaken. We must never forget that our lives are sustained and governed by God. Berkhof was exactly right! We do not continue to exist by our own inherent power. Not only did God create human beings, but He also continues to sustain their lives on earth. We do not live unless our Creator wills our living.

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[1] Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996), 170.