A Devotion from a Chinese
Writing
The Chinese literature is full of
descriptions about the Way of God, which the Chinese commonly refer to as Tian 天.
Here is one written by Feng Dao
天道.-冯道
穷达皆由命 ，何劳发叹声。
但知行好事 ，莫要问前程。
冬去冰须泮，春来草自生。
请君观此理，天道甚分明。
Heavenly Law — Feng Dao
“Poverty or wealth, all comes
by Heaven’s will,
Why should we sigh and groan our lifetime still?
Just know enough to do the good you can,
And never speculate on Heaven’s plan.
When winter goes, the ice will melt away;
When spring returns, the grass will sprout and stay.
I beg you, ponder this natural course—
And see how plain is Heaven's Law and source.”
Feng Dao (882–954 AD) was a Chinese official during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. He served as a chancellor or high-ranking minister in the Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou courts. He held prominent positions under ten different emperors. He organized the first official, state-sponsored printing of the Confucian Classics, using woodblock printing on a large scale. He also authored a collection of essays, the "Essay of an Old Man from the Chantry."
Reflection
This ancient poem beautifully
reflects the biblical principle of trusting in God’s providence. Just as
Feng Dao observed that the rise and fall of fortunes are governed by Heaven,
the Bible teaches that God rules over every circumstance:
“The Lord makes poor and makes
rich; He brings low and He exalts.” — 1 Samuel 2:7
“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the
Lord.” — Job 1:21
We often struggle with outcomes
beyond our control — success and failure, health and sickness, gain and loss.
But like the poem says, our duty is not to speculate on Heaven’s plan, but
to do good faithfully.
“Trust in the Lord with all
your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” — Proverbs 3:5
“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we
do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9
The imagery of winter and
spring reminds us that God’s timing is perfect.
Seasons of hardship are not
permanent; renewal comes as surely as spring follows winter.
“He has made everything
beautiful in its time.” — Ecclesiastes 3:11
The natural order reflects God’s
divine wisdom. His law — His way — is plain for all to see, written not
only in Scripture but also in creation itself.
“For since the creation of the
world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been
clearly seen.” — Romans 1:20
When we accept this truth, we can rest in quiet confidence, knowing that God’s providence is steady and sure.
Our calling is simple: walk faithfully, do good, and trust God with the
rest.
Summary
- God governs both prosperity and adversity; all
comes under His will.
- Our responsibility is to do good and trust His plan
without anxiety.
- God’s timing brings renewal; every “winter” gives
way to “spring.”
- The natural order reveals God’s wisdom and
faithfulness.
- Faith means resting in God’s sovereignty with peace
and obedience.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Teach me to trust in Your perfect will,
to stop worrying about outcomes I cannot control.
Help me to do good faithfully each day
and to wait patiently for Your timing.
May I see Your wisdom in every season of life,
and rest in the peace of Your divine order.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
p.s. This post was done with
DeepSeek and ChatGPT.
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