Touch: A Parable of Providence

Over the last few years I have come to really enjoy smart, well written, dramatic television. I love the fact that the story is not capped in 120 minutes. It is able to be developed, often very intricately. Right now we are enjoying shows like Once Upon A Time, PanAM, The Firm, and Touch.

Touch is a fascinating storyline. This show is attempting to work out the theological idea of providence. Providence can be defined as, "divine guidance or care, God conceived as the power sustaining and guiding human destiny".

But, what if there was no God?

Touch seems to start there. The "universe" is personified. Numbers, sequences, patterns are the key to unlocking the mystery of pain and suffering. There are a few people who can understand the patterns and as a result can "feel the pain and suffering of the whole world."

Jake, a little boy who does not speak, is one of these people. His father, Martin, is learning to understand that Jake provides a road map for him to help set things right. Check out the trailer...

Our western world is in a state of confusion. We are not as prosperous as we once were. There is less hope than before.  Everyone is looking for answers.  Touch is providing an answer. There is purpose and order.  It comes from numbers, patterns, sequences, and formulas. Fate is driven by these things and if you pay attention you can see it. 

Fascinating. 

But it isn't true.

There is something better. 

Our world is being cared for by a gracious King. His providential rule keeps all things in order. There is pain and there is suffering. Not because he doesn't love or care for us but because it is in the midst of the pain and suffering that we learn our need to trust him. 

Check out what Jesus says about providence in Matthew 6, 

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?t 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

 He connects providence to our experience of anxiety which is born out of our lack of trust.

Our great King cares for us and will provide all we need because of his providence. He is ordering the world and overseeing it. The question is, will we seek first the kingdom of God?

What you seek is what you find.