God’s Preservation of the World. (Pasche)

"He upholds all things by the word of His power."  Hebrews.1:3

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    We believe that God preserves us and all creatures. We con-

fess: “ He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to 

support this body and life.” God created the world, and now He 

does not stand aloof. No, He fills heaven and earth; His almighty

presence permeates all things, and He operates incessantly. Jesus 

says: “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” God wills and 

causes the continuance of the created world. He sustains and pre-

serves every part of it. In Acts 17 we read: “ God is not far from 

every one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being.” 

Without Him we would have no existence at all. Without Him we 

could neither live nor move nor even breathe. Our pulse could not 

beat one minute without His upholding power.

    And this is true not only of man, but of every living creature. 

God prepares and guards every blade of grass, every leaflet on the 

trees, and every grain in the fields. He sustains sun, moon, and 

stars on their daily circuit around the earth, and no less the little 

bird twittering in the trees and the tiny flower blooming unseen 

by the eyes of man. The greatest and the least have His equal care. 

Everywhere is the actively sustaining presence of the living God.

And especially upon man does God bestow loving care. Every-

thing was made for man, and all creatures are subservient to man’s 

welfare. In particular, however, God cares for His Church. It is 

for the sake of His Church that He sustains the earth and all there 

is in it. When God’s elect have all been gathered, the world will 

cease. The prime purpose of the preservation of the world is the 

holy Christian Church, God’s Kingdom of Grace.

    God has ordained to provide for our sustenance by means of 

the labor of our hands. Despite our labor, however, it remains true 

that it is God who preserves us; for it is He who gives and sustains 

to us strength, health, skill, and ability, which enable us to obtain 

our daily bread.

Prayer.

Lord God, heavenly Father, who didst create all things and 

dost bless and preserve them, we thank Thee that Thou hast given 

us our body and soul and hast hitherto abundantly provided us 

with all we needed to support this body and life. And we beseech 

Thee, continue to shower upon us and all men all Thy wonted 

blessings for Thy praise and our welfare. Grant also that with 

firm faith and joyous confidence we may fully and at all times 

tmst in Thee, who alone art able to preserve our life. Amen.