God’s providence emboldens God’s children as they trust Jesus and persevere through suffering, for in suffering their loving Father provides them security and the grace and Spirit to live for His glory. God’s providence is safety and security for believers.

I don’t think we should take some peculiar pleasure in the death of animals. Native Americans killed many animals but had great esteem and appreciation for them and industriously made use of the meat, hides, bones, and more. Hunters today may not be as industrious, but they also esteem and appreciate the animals they kill. The death of an animal isn’t particularly comforting in itself. I’m drawing a thought from Jesus’ words in Matthew 10, comforting words highlighting God’s absolute sovereignty. I’m talking about God’s providence, how the death of birds can remind us of God’s providential care of us His people. Seeing a small dead bird along the trail can give us a sense of comfort because we know the bird fell to the ground by the providence of our heavenly Father.

Could you explain the doctrine of God’s providence to a child so they could understand and delight in it? The Reformed confessions help us do just that! The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks in question eleven, “What are God’s works of providence?” It answers, “God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.” [1] Simple.

So, think about God’s providence for little birds. God preserves the lives of little birds. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that God feeds the birds of the air (Mt. 6:26). God also governs little birds—their location, flight patterns, migration, eating, etc. Every action of little birds is being preserved and governed by God’s holy, wise, and powerful will. And when a little bird’s days are up, it falls to the ground by the sovereign will of God. And the point goes: How much more does God value, preserve, and govern us?

The Heidelberg Catechism provides a wonderful explanation of God’s providence. Question 27 asks, “What do you understand by the providence of God?” It answers:

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