The doctrine of providence may seem too abstract to talk about with middle schoolers, but chances are they are already struggling with some of the questions it raises, and in need of the comfort it gives.

The basic question is, how is God involved with the world he made? One way of describing that relationship is what's called the deist position. Deists believe that God created the world and set up its natural laws, and then stepped back to let it run more or less on its own. The image of a clockmaker is often used. It's a simple, hands-off relationship between God and the world.

The Bible, however, presents a very different picture of God. The world belongs to God, who is no absentee landlord but is deeply involved in human life and history. The Creator God of the Bible has sleeves rolled up, with hands deep in the soil of history.

This is a wonderful and comforting way of understanding the relationship of the Creator and the creation. We see God's hand not only in the miracles of life, which are exceptions to natural law, but in the ordinary events of life---the sunrise and sunset, the wonder of a newborn baby, the turning of the seasons.

But that leaves room for the inevitable questions that some of the kids in your group may have:

• Why did my mother get cancer?

• Why does a tsunami wipe out thousands of lives?

• Why does God let bad things happen to good people?

No easy answers to those questions. Philosophers and theologians have been struggling with them for centuries. But as difficult as it is to reconcile, we cannot give up the biblical picture of the God who is lovingly involved with the world.

A few concepts that may help for starters:

• Much of the suffering and evil in the world is the result of human sin rather than God's action.

• We are limited in what we see and understand, seeing only a small part of the picture and never really knowing what's best for us.

• We have a God who enters into human suffering and pain, and the cross is the emblem of that loving involvement.

The story of Joseph provides an inside look at some of the ways God operates in the world. Throughout the drama of Joseph's life, with all its ups and downs, there is a hidden hand at work. Joseph himself speaks the last word, after Jacob has died, and the brothers still fear his retaliation for what they've done: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

Almighty God has the power to bend evil into good, so that his good purposes and saving plans will be accomplished in the end. The way of faith is the way described in today's Q&A---to trust that God is in charge and rest in faith that God is good and kind, and will finally work out his good will.