All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Acts 2:44-45
“Learn not to dispute the methods of God’s providence; and humbly and implicitly to acquiesce in and adore them.”
Francis Atterbury (1663-1732), English bishop in Day’s Collacon compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 743.
The humbling part about my exploration and experience of providence in 2017 has been to realize repeatedly that God made us to need Him and each other.
For example, when my son’s car died and he needed help, it was easy to give him my car. It was slightly harder to receive a free car from a friend, but it has been a blessing.
It’s easier to give than to receive. The challenge is that unless we learn to both receive and give, we can’t be generous because we must first receive from God and others in order to give.
Atterbury sums up the posture for us. We must not dispute the methods of God’s providence that are greater than we can comprehend. We must humbly accept and adore them.
Thank you God for providing for us and carrying us through another year with highs and lows in which we learn experientially our need for You and others on life’s journey. Amen.