Said Jesus: “The Father Himself loveth you.” If our faith is fixed upon God, through Christ, it will prove “as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the Forerunner is for us entered.” It is true that disappointments will come; tribulation we must expect; but we are to commit everything, great and small, to God. He does not become perplexed by the multiplicity of our grievances nor overpowered by the weight of our burdens. His watchcare extends to every household and encircles every individual; He is concerned in all our business and our sorrows. He marks every tear; He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. All the afflictions and trials that befall us here are permitted, to work out His purposes of love toward us, “that we might be partakers of His holiness” and thus become participants in that fullness of joy which is found in His presence. {5T 742.2}

Der er en lærdom for os i de makedoniske menigheders erfaring, som den skildres af Paulus. Han siger, at »sig selv gav de først og fremmest til Herren«. Derpå var de ivrige efter at give deres midler for Kristus. »Samtidig med, at de stod deres prøve i megen trængsel, er der af deres overvældende glæde og deres dybe fattigdom vældet frem en rigdom af gavmildhed. Thi det kan jeg vidne: de gav efter evne, ja, over evne og det uopfordret. (735) Indtrængende bad de os om den nåde at måtte være med i hjælpen til de hellige.«