Miraculous and Providential

From a recent newsletter from Bobby Parks, who is with the Christian Medical Ministry of Alabama: “God works in two general ways: 1) miraculously, and 2) providentially.

“Unfortunately we often confuse the two in our conversation. The term ‘miracle’ has lost much of its luster in our day. And it isn’t because we see miracles taking place so often that we no longer are sensitive to their meaning. It’s because our speech has evolved in such a way that today, if we find a parking place in an area where there usually are none, we say, ‘It was a miracle that we found this place to park.’ Well, it may have been unusual, but not really a miracle, though that does not take away from the fact that God is always at work.

“What is the difference between a miracle and providence?

“Providence is God’s work of preserving, controlling, and governing all things that take place.

“A miracle is a less common kind of God’s activity in which he arouses people’s awe and wonder and bears witness to himself through an event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature.

“God still does both works of providence and miracles. And he does them according to his own plan and his own timing. This is because he is sovereign.”