So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:31-33
“The words of the Gospel, although probably containing a deeper meaning, may yet be taken in their more simple and obvious sense, as teaching us not to be disturbed with anxieties about our food and clothing. Rather, while living in plainness and desiring only what is needful, we should put our trust in the providence of God.”
Origen of Alexandria (c. 185-254) 4.620 in A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, ed. David W. Bercot (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1998) 441.
This meditation posts about the time I arrive in Egypt. One of the things I love about the Christians there is their simple trust in God. Though, largely speaking, they have limited financial mens, the Christians I have met possess something of inestimable value: deep faith in God.
In the West we tend to trust in our resources rather than in the providence of God, so life is filled with anxiety. We become disturbed and stingy rather than at peace and generous. For many, Christmas is about “what we want” rather than celebrating “what God gave,” namely, Jesus, the greatest gift to the world.
As we experience Advent in Alexandria together by exploring the writings of the early church fathers from this city, we find that the way of Jesus is “living in plainness and desiring only what is needful.” What would that look like for you to trust in the providence of God to care for you?
Only when we grasp God’s care for us do we shift from being anxious and disturbed people whose trust is in ourselves to being joyful distributors of spiritual and material blessings. The simple and obvious way of living is to trust in the providence of God. We can enjoy and share generously as God is our Provider!