### 27. Q. What do you understand by the providence of God?

**A**. Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God<sup>1</sup> by which God upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures,<sup>2</sup> and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty<sup>3</sup>—all things, in fact, come to us not by chance<sup>4</sup> but by his fatherly hand.<sup>5</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [Jer. 23:23-24](/get-passage/Jeremiah+23:23-24); [Acts 17:24-28](/get-passage/Acts+17:24-28)
<sup>2</sup> [Heb. 1:3](/get-passage/Hebrews+1:3)
<sup>3</sup> [Jer. 5:24](/get-passage/Jeremiah+5:24); [Acts 14:15-17](/get-passage/Acts+14:15-17); [John 9:3](/get-passage/John+9:3); [Prov. 22:2](/get-passage/Proverbs+22:2)
<sup>4</sup> [Prov. 16:33](/get-passage/Proverbs+16:33)
<sup>5</sup> [Matt. 10:29](/get-passage/Matthew+10:29)