“He is Faithful that Promised.”

Needful Grace.

God does not give grace till the hour of trial comes. But when it does come, the amount of grace, and the nature of the special grace required is vouchsafed. My soul, do not dwell with painful apprehension on the future. Do not anticipate coming sorrows; perplexing thyself with the grace needed for future emergencies; to-morrow will bring its promised grace along with to-morrow’s trials. God, wishing to keep His people humble, and dependent on himself, gives not a stock of grace; He metes it out for every day’s exigencies, that they may be constantly “travelling between their own emptiness and Christ’s fulness”—their own weakness and Christ’s strength. But when the exigency comes, thou mayest safely trust an Almighty arm to bear thee through! Is there now some “thorn in the flesh” sent to lacerate thee? Thou mayest have been entreating the Lord for its removal. Thy prayer has, doubtless, been heard and answered; but not in the way, perhaps, expected or desired by thee. The “thorn” may still be left to goad, the trial may still be left to buffet; but “more grace” has been given to endure them. Oh! how often have His people thus been led to glory in their infirmities and triumph in their afflictions, seeing the power of Christ rests more abundantly upon them! The strength which the hour of trial brings, often makes the Christian a wonder to himself!

“REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!”