Somewhere in my reading this week I came across this story. It didn’t fit my sermon on thanksgiving but somehow it seems appropriate for this week because it deals with great faith in Divine providence. First I want to share a section of the famous “Belgic Confession of Faith”, which is the most famous reformed statement of faith from the continent of Europe. Here’s the section on the providence of God. 

The Belgic Confession Article 13 – Divine Providence

We believe that the same God, after He had created all things, did not forsake them, or give them up to fortune or chance, but that He rules and governs them according to His holy will, so that nothing happens in this world without His appointment; nevertheless, God neither is the author of, nor can be charged with, the sins which are committed. For His power and goodness are so great and incomprehensible, that He orders and executes His work in the most excellent and just manner, even then when devils and wicked men act unjustly. And as to what He doth surpassing human understanding, we will not curiously inquire into it further than our capacity will admit of; but with the greatest humility and reverence adore the righteous judgments of God which are hid from us, contenting ourselves that we are disciples of Christ, to learn only those things which He has revealed to us in His Word without transgressing these limits.

This doctrine affords us unspeakable consolation, since we are taught thereby that nothing can befall us by chance, but by the direction of our most gracious and heavenly Father, who watches over us with a paternal care, keeping all creatures so under His power that not a hair of our head (for they are all numbered), nor a sparrow, can fall to the ground, without the will of our Father, in whom we do entirely trust; being persuaded that He so restrains the devil and all our enemies that, without His will and permission, they cannot hurt us. And therefore we reject that damnable error of the Epicureans, who say that God regards nothing, but leaves all things to chance.

Now, having read that statement consider a little bit of the life of the man who wrote it. Its author, Guido de Brès, died for his faith. Guido had become a Christian when he was around twenty-five years old.  As a young man he had to flee persecution several times. Going as far away and London England and returning eventually to the lowlands of France and Belgium to minister to various persecuted congregation. Eventually he met John Calvin and was persuaded to come to Geneva. In the three years he spent in Geneva, Guido learned the Reformed faith more perfectly, mastered Greek and Hebrew under Beza and Calvin, and was more fully equipped for the gospel ministry. During this period (1559), he also married Catherine Ramon and with her had four or five children, the oldest named Israel, and the second, Sara.

In 1566 de Brès went to Valenciennes in France to become a preacher in the church there, a congregation, which called itself the Church of the Eagle.  While he was ministering to that church he was captured and imprisoned during the infamous Spanish Inquisition.

He spent the first part of his captivity in a prison where he could receive visitors. Many of his visitors, however, were enemies who came to taunt him. But just as was the case with the apostle Paul (Philippians 1:12-14), Guido’s imprisonment became an occasion for him to witness to the truth. When a princess, along with many young court ladies, came to mock, and the princess said in horror at Guido’s heavy chains, “My God, Mr. de Brès, I don’t see how you can eat, drink, or sleep that way. I think I would die of fear, if I were in your place,” Guido responded: “My lady, the good cause for which I suffer and the good conscience God has given me make my bread sweeter and my sleep sounder than those of my persecutors.” And, then, still responding to the princess, “It is guilt that makes a chain heavy. Innocence makes my chains light. I glory in them as my badges of honor.”

Soon Guido was transferred to a dark, damp, rat-infested dungeon known as The Black Hole. In spite of the cold, the hunger, the horror of this hole, Guido wrote a tract on the Lord’s Supper and letters to his friends, his aged mother, and his wife. A letter to his wife is an especially moving testimony of his faith.

My dear and well-beloved wife in our Lord Jesus.

Your grief and anguish are the cause of my writing you this letter. I most earnestly pray you not to be grieved beyond measure . . . . We knew when we married that we might not have many years together, and the Lord has graciously given us seven. If the Lord had wished us to live together longer, he could easily have caused it to be so. But such was not his pleasure. Let his good will be done . . . . Moreover, consider that I have not fallen into the hands of my enemies by chance, but by the providence of God . . . . All these considerations have made my heart glad and peaceful, and I pray you, my dear and faithful companion, to be glad with me, and to thank the good God for what he is doing, for he does nothing but what is altogether good and right . . . . I pray you then to be comforted in the Lord, to commit yourself and your affairs to him, he is the husband of the widow and the father of the fatherless, and he will never leave nor forsake you . . . .

Good-bye, Catherine, my well-beloved! I pray my God to comfort you, and give you resignation to his holy will. Your faithful husband, Guido de Brès.

Guido was publicly hanged on May 31, 1567 at the age of 47. He was pushed off the ladder while comforting the crowd which had gathered and urging them to faithfulness to the Scriptures. What impresses me about the story is how the formal statement of faith in the Belgic Confession, is really shown to be his living hope in his letter to his wife. After talking about his faith in God he writes, “All these considerations have made my heart glad and peaceful, and I pray you, my dear and faithful companion, to be glad with me, and to thank the good God for what he is doing, for he does nothing but what is altogether good and right . . . .”

When I was 18 and a new Christian (back in the early 70s) I worked as a short order cook in Hollywood Florida. There were two waitresses/bartenders who worked there also, Paula and Elaine. They were both about twenty one and I think it is fair to say they were believers but not really living as strong Christians. Whenever I had a break I would sit and talk with them about faith and the gospel. Back in those days I was especially excited about Bible prophecy! Anyway, I was also planning to go to Bible College. To make a long story short both Paula and Elaine decided to go to Bible college also. So we all went together and very quickly Paula met John Stevenson. They fell in love and were married. Last weekend I saw them again at the RTS gradutation where John received his Doctor of Ministry degree. Paula was kind enough to say, “You’re the reason we met and have been married over thirty years.”

But the plot thickens, in talking with John we realized that it was his friend Faith who had picked me up one day when I was hitch-hiking, talked to me about Christ, and when she discovered I was a new Christian, encouraged me to go to the Bible college she was attending. So God used Faith (the girl) to direct me and then me to influence Paula and then John met Paula…. Now, thirty five years later, John and Paula are still married, serving God and John just received his Doctorate from the seminary where I now teach as an adjunct professor. I can picture myself at 18 and Elaine and Paula at 21 sitting in a booth during a break at work talking about God and Scripture. We never know where simple things may lead.

I could tell another story of providence about Jim Coffield, who was a deacon in our church back in the 80s, went on to earn His PHD and now teaches at RTS also. It was fun to be with him in the ceremony. Here’s Jim in his full Academic Regalia. I especially like the hat and the thoughtful expression.

It was encouraging to see how God weaves the threads of providence together so that we move in and out of people’s lives and, in spite of much weakness, become the means by which God directs his people and unfolds his grace.