That's what New York Governor David Paterson called the landing of the USAirways jet that crashed into the Hudson River between Manhattan and New Jersey yesterday. It seems that the emergency landing was caused by a massive flock of birds (big enough to be seen on radar) crashed into the jet less than one minute after take-off, killing both engines. Thankfully, all 155 people on board survived. The pilot of the plane, Chesley B. Sullenburger III, is being hailed a hero for his deft landing of the plane in the frigid waters of the Hudson.
Because I hadn't tuned into the news, I first heard about this incident early this morning while meeting with one of our church members. We had been discussing God's providence, as part of a theological book study we are undertaking, and my friend mentioned this jet crash as a good example of God's providence. As Wayne Grudem notes,
... The biblical doctrine [of God's providence] does not teach that events in creation are determined by chance (or randomness), nor are they determined by impersonal fate (or determinism), but by God, who is the personal yet infinitely powerful Creator and Lord.
- Systematic Theology, p. 315
One component of the doctrine of God's providence is concurrence, that "God cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do" (Systematic Theology, p. 317). This we see vividly demonstrated in the apparent cause of yesterday's crash, i.e., a flock of birds flying striking the jet. In teaching His disciples about God's providence, Jesus said, "Look at the birds of the air" (Matt. 6:26a). What can we learn about God's providence from birds? Jesus said, "Your heavenly Father feeds them" (Matt. 6:26b). Later He said that not one sparrow "will fall to the ground without your Father's will" (Matt. 10:29). Think about that! If not one sparrow can fall to the ground apart from God's will, then surely a whole flock of birds can't crash into a plane without His ordaining it!
But, wait. There's even more wonder at God's providence that can be drawn from yesterday's story. In reporting this incident during a news broadcast, here's what FOXNews' Shepard Smith had to say:
We are told that the water in the Hudson River is at exactly at 32 degrees. In fact, if you go north of the city ... a hundred city blocks, ... the river is closed to the ferries due to the ice in the water. And now we are led to believe that this very cold water ... is part of what allowed this thing to skid rather than tumble, and a tumble could have been catastrophic.
At the same time, near-freezing temperature of the water made it cold enough to keep the plane afloat as the passengers and flight crew made their way to safety. Job 37:10 declares, "The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen." Even what we consider to be "natural occurrences" in creation are, in the ultimate sense, caused by God.
We could go on to demonstrate many more examples of God's providence from this single incident. Yet the fact is, there are tokens of God's sovereignty over all creation every day at every moment, everywhere we turn our heads. What a great security this gives us as God's children, for "we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). Even tragedies in life, for the believer, have a good and noble end. Therefore we can be strong and courageous, knowing that our all-powerful God is accomplishing His eternal purpose in the everyday incidents of life, whether big or small, whether ordinary or extraordinary. Rejoice in that. Take refuge in that. And urge others to do the same.
The following is a segment from the Westminster Shorter Catechism (Q.11) that I think compliments this topic nicely.
ReplyDelete"God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions"
I believe that God keeps all creatures in being, involves himself in all events and directs all things to their appointed end. I find it unfortunate that some have restricted Gods providence to foreknowledge without control or petty reactivity and not supreme pro-activity. I Praise God that I can trust him in all things because all things truly extend from him. Even if I don't always understand his ways, he still blows my mind when he allows me to have any fathomable glimpse of his vastly unfathomable supremacy.
I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his step(Jeremiah 10:23)
This is great. I've been pondering God's providence for a couple of weeks. It's a main theme of the book of Esther, which we ladies are studying in Bible School. What a comforting and encouraging truth, especially in times like these. We can bank on Romans 8:28, because every Word of God is true.
ReplyDeleteI love that this story is taking up so much air time and that so many people are calling it a miracle (This would be a great time to ask all of them what a miracle is!). And for those of us who are paying attention, this is like a love note from God saying, "Yep, I'm still here. I'm still watching. I'm still in control AND I still care.".
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you, with my finite brain, I never thought I could praise the Lord for a plane crash. What will He think of next? ;)
Truly amazing! If we search our Bibles we can find God using thunder, lightning, rain, hail, frost, ice, snow, cold, heat, sunshine, bodies of water, rivers, animals, birds, beasts, nations, governments, kings, princes, rulers, governors, everyone and anything He desires. God sets the birth and death of every man. He uses our good and our bad, and even the demons for His eternal purposes.
ReplyDeleteScripture teaches unequivocally that God is in charge. 1 Chronicles 29:11-13, 2 Chronicles 20:6, Job 23:13, Psalm 115:3;135:6, Proverbs 21:30, Isaiah 46:10, Daniel 4:35, and Ephesians 1:11 all declare that truth.
The book of Esther is one of the most incredible illustrations of God's providence in the OT. Interestingly, the book never mentions God and there are no miracles recorded in the book. (Reminds me of the fact that the word providence is not even in the Bible, like the word Trinity, but the theological concept is there). Nevertheless, in Esther the main character is God and He is at work in a way even beyond miraculous in an incredible series of providential events to bring about His will.
Charles Spurgeon said, "I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes - that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit, as well as the sun in the heavens..."
If there are skeptics toward Spurgeon's remarks, let's turn the clock ahead about 100 years or so and listen to John Piper, "If someone should raise the question of sheer chance and the kinds of things that just seem to happen with no more meaning than the role of the dice, Proverbs 16:33 answers, 'The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord.' In other words, there is no such thing as "chance" from God's perspective. He has his purposes for every roll of the dice in Las Vegas and every seemingly absurd turn of events in the universe."
This morning I listened to one of the survivors of the plane crash explain that it was surprisingly quiet as the plane decended into the river. When asked why, he simply responded, "I think everyone was praying." Let's pray tonight that those folks are giving all the glory to God as those prayers were answered, pray that the Lord's will is done through those lives, as we all have just witnessed the Lord's creation, snatched out of the Lord's atmosphere, placed into the Lord's hand, and laid down into the Lord's river.
Praise God.