The service begins with the reading of Psalm 95:6-7 (00:00-00:18) and the sermon text, Isaiah 40:1-31 (00:19-03:15), followed by prayer (03:16-05:05). No introduction is given for the speaker, Gene Owen. He begins by emphasizing God’s sovereignty and providence as One who holds the entire world in His hands, as One who worked through Joseph’s evil circumstances for the good of him and his family (05:06-08:10). He warns next about having a childish view of the providence of God expressed in an unembarrassed use of God’s name. This will lead to us fashioning God in our image, according to ourselves (08:11-10:50). Others possess a “mature,” adult view of God’s providence, in which man denies his need for God or His self-revelation through the Bible. He links this view with American capitalism and independence, calling us to rethink our clichés according to the truth of God from Scripture (10:51-14:25). The view of providence which Owen advocates is a childlike view, a simple belief in the totality of God’s providence from a place of complete dependence on God (14:26-19:04). He ends his time in prayer (19:05-19:33).
