He who has given you life knows your need of food to sustain it. He who created the body is not unmindful of your need of raiment. Will not He who has bestowed the greater gift bestow also what is needed to make it complete? LHU 73.2

Jesus pointed His hearers to the birds as they warbled their carols of praise, unencumbered with thoughts of care, for “they sow not, neither do they reap”; and yet the great Father provides for their needs. And He asks, “Are not ye of much more value than they?” LHU 73.3

“No sparrow falls without His care,
No soul bows low but Jesus knows;
For He is with us everywhere,
And marks each bitter tear that flows.
And He will never, never, never
Forsake the soul that trusts Him ever”.... LHU 73.4

God’s law is the law of love. He has surrounded you with beauty to teach you that you are not placed on earth merely to delve for self, to dig and build, to toil and spin, but to make life bright and joyous and beautiful with the love of Christ — like the flowers, to gladden other lives by the ministry of love. LHU 73.5

Fathers and mothers, let your children learn from the flowers. Take them with you into garden and field and under the leafy trees, and teach them to read in nature the message of God’s love. Let the thoughts of Him be linked with bird and flower and tree. Lead the children to see in every pleasant and beautiful thing an expression of God’s love for them. Recommend your religion to them by its pleasantness. Let the law of kindness be in your lips. LHU 73.6

Teach the children that because of God’s great love their natures may be changed and brought into harmony with His. Teach them that He would have their lives beautiful with the graces of the flowers. Teach them, as they gather the sweet blossoms, that He who made the flowers is more beautiful than they. Thus the tendrils of their hearts will be entwined about Him. He who is “altogether lovely” will become to them as a daily companion and familiar friend, and their lives will be transformed into the image of His purity (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 95-98). LHU 73.7

[God] would adorn our characters with His own rich graces. He would have our words as fragrant as the flowers of the field (The Review and Herald, May 19, 1896). LHU 73.8

no.1
~~~~ ! ~~~~
When Jesus heard of it,
​he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart:
and when the people had heard thereof,
they followed him on foot out of the cities.
And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude,
and was moved with compassion toward them,
and he healed their sick.
KJV Matthew 14:13,14

no.2
~~~~ ! ~~~~
And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying,
This is a desert place, and the time is now past;
send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages,
and buy themselves victuals.
But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart;
give ye them to eat.
And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
He said, Bring them hither to me.
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass,
and took the five loaves, and the two fishes,
and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake,
and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
And they did all eat, and were filled:
and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship,
and to go before him unto the other side,
​while he sent the multitudes away.
KJV Matthew 14:15-22

no.3
~~~~ ! ~~~~
And when he had sent the multitudes away,
he went up into a mountain apart to pray:
and when the evening was come,
​he was there alone.​
KJV Matthew 14:23

no.4
~~~~ ! ~~~~
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves:
for the wind was contrary.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying,
It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying,
Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
And Peter answered him and said,
Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
And he said, Come.
And when Peter was come down out of the ship,
he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid;
and beginning to sink, he cried, saying,
Lord, save me.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him,
O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying,
​Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
KJV Matthew 14:24-33

no.5
~~~~ ! ~~~~
And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
And when the men of that place had knowledge of him,
they sent out into all that country round about,
and brought unto him all that were diseased;
And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment:
​and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
KJV Matthew 14:34-36

{DA 382}
When trouble comes upon us, how often we are like Peter!
We look upon the waves, instead of keeping our eyes fixed upon the Saviour.
Our footsteps slide, and the proud waters go over our souls.

Jesus did not bid Peter come to Him that he should perish;
He does not call us to follow Him, and then forsake us...

 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;
and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:
when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned;
neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
For I am the LORD thy God,
​the Holy One of Israel,
thy Saviour:
KJV Isaiah 43:2,3