Strength for the Day
Lately, the battle to remain in the present moment and accept the grace and help God gives for that moment has been particularly difficult. Yesterday morning, as I once again faced the struggle of imagining how I was going to get through the day, my mom told me that “God’s grace is timed-released.” It comes just as I need it and not one second before. How grateful I am for her wisdom. It is so true.
Throughout these struggles, I have been wonderfully helped by an incredible little book titled, The Bow in the Cloud. It was written by J.R. MacDuff, a Scottish pastor, and published in 1864. The following is a portion from one of its entries:
Reader, do not morbidly brood on the future. Live on the promises. When the morrow comes with its trials, Jesus will come with the morrow, and with its trials too. Present grace is enough for present necessity. Trust God for the future. We honour Him, not by anticipating trial, but by confiding in His faithfulness, and crediting His assurance, that no temptation will be sent greater than we are able to bear. Even if you should see fresh clouds returning after the rain, be ready to say- “I will fear no evil, for THOU art with me!”
Insufficient you are of yourself for any trial—but “your sufficiency is of God.” The promise is not, “Thy grace,” but “My grace is sufficient.” Oh, trust His “all-sufficiency in all things.” JEHOVAH-JIREH, “the Lord will provide.” See written over every trying hour of the future, “So shall thy strength be!”
If you’d like to read the rest of the devotional you can find it here (beginning at page 81).
Treasures of Darkness 
“God’s grace is time-released.” What a wonderful way to put it!
Just like the children of Israel were given manna in the desert day-by-day, and couldn’t store any up for the next day (except on the day before the Sabbath); so we are given just what we need for the day at hand.
“Give us this day our daily bread,” our Lord teaches us to pray. May God grant you everything you need for this moment, and the faith to trust Him for the next one.
Thanks for the excellent post.
Joanna@VocationalChameleon said this on February 22, 2011 at 4:50 pm |
This is so encouraging to me, Joanna. Thank you for taking the time to read and to leave these words of hope and truth. How I needed to read them today!
By the way, do we know one another? It doesn’t matter, but I just thought I’d ask. 🙂
eilthir said this on February 22, 2011 at 6:28 pm |
You’re very welcome! I have only read a bit of it, but I really like your blog. No, we don’t know one another. I found your blog by doing a tag search on WordPress. It searched on tags I had used in my blog, and your site came up. I’m glad it did. I’ve subscribed and I’ll be back.
May God bless you, today, my friend! He loves you deeply and though you walk through valleys, He is ever with you.
Joanna@VocationalChameleon said this on February 22, 2011 at 8:42 pm |
Dear Charissa,
I tried to post the following in response to the update today on your other blog, but for some reason the system there couldn’t recognize me and wouldn’t let me comment, so I decided to post it here instead.
May God grant you all the wisdom you need as you make these decisions.
The Lord is with you, dear one, and He will never leave nor forsake you! Psalm 34 comes to mind.
We will continue to pray for you.
-Joanna
Joanna@AimIsLove said this on March 7, 2011 at 6:38 pm |