"Deinem Wink, Herr, gehorchen die Elemente"

This doctoral thesis deals with the question of how we can think of **God´s providence concerning nature**, especially with the question of how we can think of the effectiveness of prayer for rain in a world governed by "natural laws". In the course of the study evaluating a lot of different views in the scientifical literature it is shown that it is indeed not irrational to believe in God´s action in nature from a point of view considering the insights of modern science. Furthermore it is emphazised that christian faith believes in God as the basis and fundament of the beeing and of any operation in nature. The titel of the study indicates that by quoting a liturgical text: "The elements obey your hint, LORD".