The Providence of God in America
Jul 9, 2026 by Kent DelHousaye
“God governs in the affairs of men.” – Ben Franklin
Does God REALLY govern in the affairs of men? And, more specifically, did our nation’s Forefathers truly believe that He does?
There was a widespread belief among our forebears in Divine Providence, especially here in America. Almost all of them believed in a sovereign God who oversees and intervenes in the affairs of men and of nations.
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The Eye of Providence from the Great Seal of the United States and our dollar bill symbolizes divine watchfulness, guidance, and protection, often shown as an eye in a triangle with rays of light, representing God's omnipresent care over humanity.
Providence is defined as the attentive and protective care of God. It is the conviction that God himself guides and controls our lives both individually and nationally—that He notices and intervenes in our daily events and circumstances.
In theology, this is referred to as the immanence of God. Divine immanence means that God is present and active in his creation and that He is close to and involved in the activity of nations and in the lives of people.
The Scriptures prove that the immanence of God is real, and the Bible supports the conviction of all those who believe it.
Psalm 139:7-8 – “Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.”
Proverbs 15:3 – “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good.”
Jeremiah 23:23-24 – “Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far off? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord.”
Acts 17:27-28 – “He is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.”
Proverbs 15:3 – “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good.”
Jeremiah 23:23-24 – “Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far off? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord.”
Acts 17:27-28 – “He is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.”
Ben Franklin’s statement came from a speech to his colleagues at a constitutional convention in 1787, and it was a stern rebuke to the deists’ watchmaker god who, after creating the universe, is now indifferent to the affairs of mankind.
The rest of his quote proves that Franklin believed in a God who clearly cares about the minute details of our lives and intervenes in the affairs of nations. He added, “And if a sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?”
Though Ben Franklin has been labeled a deist, He clearly wasn’t. Even Thomas Jefferson, who bore the same label, talked often about God’s providence in his writings and in his lectures.
Likewise, George Washington, John Adams, and James Madison ALL believed in and spoke about the providence of God, talking openly and publicly about how God not only cares and provides for us but also hears and answers our prayers.
So then, other than Thomas Paine who was a self-proclaimed deist, NONE of our Founding Fathers challenged or denied the providence of God in the establishing and oversight of our country and in the lives of its citizens.
