Norman, Oklahoma

I have a personal “tradition” of reading David McCullough’s book, 1776, every 4th of July. (You choose your holiday fun and I’ll choose mine!) I don’t think it was McCullough’s purpose, but I’m always impressed by the number of fortuitous circumstances, without which, had they gone the other way in a few cases, our country may have never come to pass.

Some refer to these circumstances as “miracles,” but they may best be called the “Providence of God.” “Providence” literally means “before, to see.” It refers to how God “sees to” our needs and provides for them beforehand. It’s like when He arranges beforehand for just the right person to be somewhere, at just the right time, to meet just the right need we have. We sometimes refer to these as “miracles,” although no laws of nature were suspended. But in a sense, it’s almost a bigger “miracle” that before time began, God put all the right pieces in all the right places to meet our needs at just the perfect time!

Many scriptures teach the Providence of God:

— Psalm 103:19 “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.”

— Romans 8:28: “God causes all things to work together for good …”. “ALL things” — even what appear to us as “chance happenings” — are part of God’s providential plan which He’s “seen to beforehand.”

— Isaiah 46 indicates that His providence also applies to nations: “My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure; calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My purpose from a far country.” God says the kings that reign, the armies that come; the nations that arise, fulfill His will, in His providence!

Understanding this, let’s look at some specific instances of God’s Providence in the birth of our country:

— In November 1775, things were bleak for General Washington, as supplies were nonexistent. He wrote: “Our situation is truly alarming.” David McCullough writes: “For six long months there had hardly been a shred of good news … no sign to suggest better days ahead.” The NEXT DAY, amazingly, an American privateer captured an enemy supply ship, loaded with military treasure such as Congress couldn’t supply for months: arms, cannon, mortars, flints, 2,000 bayonets. It was exactly what they needed, at just the crucial time. Washington recognized it, writing that it was an “instance of divine favor, for nothing surely ever came more apropos.”

— In 1776, on the night of Washington’s bold move up Dorchester Heights with cannon, which surprised the British and forced them out of Boston, McCullough writes: “The night was unseasonably mild — indeed, perfectly beautiful with a full moon — ideal conditions for the work, as if the hand of the Almighty were directing things.”

— Following the American defeat in Brooklyn later that year, Washington’s army had its back to the East River, with a superior British force before them. The huge English fleet could have trapped the American army and kept them from evacuating, but again, “providentially,” the winds were contrary to the British fleet, and kept the ships away. Then suddenly: “It was about eleven o’clock when, AS IF BY DESIGN, the northeast wind died down. Then the wind shifted to the southwest and a small armada of American boats … started over the River from New York (to evacuate Washington’s army). … But the exodus was not moving fast enough. … Time was running out. Though nearly morning, a large part of the army still waited to embark, and without the curtain of night to conceal them, their escape was doomed.” McCullough writes: “Incredibly, yet again, circumstances — fate, luck, Providence, the hand of God, as would be said so often — intervened. Just at daybreak, a heavy fog settled in over the whole of Brooklyn, concealing everything no less than had the night. It was a fog so thick, remembered one soldier, that one could scarcely discern a man at six yards distance.’ Even with the sun up, the fog remained as dense as ever, while over on the New York side of the river, there was no fog at all. … In a single night, 9,000 (American) troops had escaped across the river. Not a life was lost.” (pp. 188-191)

— During Christmas of 1776, with his army in tatters and many British and Americans believing the war was about over, Washington made a bold move across the frozen Delaware River to attack Trenton: “Incredibly, in a battle of such extreme savagery (street to street fighting with bayonets), only four Americans had been wounded … and not one American had been killed.” (p. 281) NOT ONE!

Summarizing the year, McCullough writes: “From the last week of August to the last week of December, the year 1776 had been as dark a time as those devoted to the American cause had ever known — indeed, as dark a time as any in the history of the country. And suddenly, miraculously it seemed, that had changed …” (p. 291).

McCullough concludes the book with this poignant paragraph: “Especially for those who had been with Washington and who knew what a close call it was at the beginning — how often circumstance, storms, contrary winds, the oddities or strengths of individual character had made the difference — the outcome seemed little short of a miracle.”

Remember: David McCullough was not a preacher, or a “religious writer” in any sense; rather, one of the premier authors of our generation. But that he would marvel at these numerous remarkable deliverances is a powerful testimony to the Providence of God in establishing America.

So what does this all mean for us? It does not mean, of course, that we should “worship” our country in any sense. Yet we should recognize that, like the old song says: “My country, ’tis of THEE.” God gave us this nation, in His providence, and we should be grateful to Him for it.

God’s Providence certainly does not mean that America is perfect. Our country has had, and still has, many shortcomings. Providence just means that God brought this nation about for His purposes. It’s not hard to see that:

— In two different World Wars, God has used the United States to preserve freedom in the world.

— God has also used America as no other people in history to spread His gospel around the world, through our missionaries, mission giving, and Bible publication.

Truly, Psalm 67:6-7 applies to our country: “God our God blesses us; God blesses us — THAT all the ends of the earth may fear Him.” God’s blessed America in His providence, to use our people and resources for His kingdom purposes in the world. “With great privilege comes great responsibility.” Let’s make sure we use the blessings God has given us to spread the gospel in America and all over the world.

Let’s also recommit ourselves to praying for our country. I Timothy 2 says we have a responsibility to “Pray for kings and all who are in authority.” And let’s especially pray for our country’s spiritual needs. Pray that we’ll become the kind of people God speaks about in II Chronicles 7:14, who “humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways.” If America doesn’t become serious about turning back to God, then He who brought us forth, His Providence, may well remove us in the same way.

But as we celebrate our country’s 250th anniversary this year, we have so much to be thankful to God for — especially the many manifestations of His providence at the very birth of our nation, without which we would not have a nation to celebrate today!

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About the Author
Shawn Thomas is a retired Southern Baptist pastor with nearly 40 years of ministry experience. He and his wife, Cheryl, relocated to Norman, Oklahoma, in March 2025. Shawn continues to serve the church by providing a weekly overview for Sunday School teachers using Lifeway’s Explore the Bible curriculum, along with sharing sermon texts and other biblical articles. You can read more from Shawn here.

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