Daily Devotion

“"Cheer up, we will write and ask for funds, and we will pray to God to touch hearts even now to provide the funds to meet our request when it reaches home." He kissed his wife's tired face and went at once to write the letter. The letter, when it was written, "was spread out before the Lord," as one did in olden time and as the saints of God have done many a time since, and God, who loves to be trusted by His children, answered the faith of His servants then, though they knew it not "till many days hence."”

Kingston de Gruché (biographer) · Doctor Apricot of "Heaven-Below": The Story of the Hangchow Medical Mission (C.M.S.) (London: Marshall Brothers, 1910), ch. II

Scripture

Philippians 4:6-7, 13 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ... I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Reflection

When Dr. Main first arrived in Hangzhou, the hospital was primitive, funds were scarce, and his wife was worn down by the work. He was not crushed by these difficulties: he urged his wife to "cheer up," did what he could by writing to ask for funds, and then "spread out" the letter before the Lord. This echoes the Epistle to the Philippians: true trust is not standing idly by, but doing our best in the Lord's strength while entrusting the outcome entirely to Him. When we turn our worries into prayer, the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep our hearts and minds. Through the Lord who strengthens us, we can not only face challenges with composure, but also live a vibrant and hopeful life with joy amid the storms of daily life.