DEVOTIONAL COLUMN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 40, 15 January 1938, Page 12

DEVOTIONAL COLUMN

THE PEDLAR’S PRAYER. There was a pedlar who carried his wares from house to house in Scotland. One day, he entered a cottage where a noble lady was' visiting its inmates. Some conversation ensued when the lady rather haughtily inquired of the pedlar, “What, can you pray?” “Well,” said he, “I ken.” “Then kneel down at once and let me hoar you.” Whereupon the man put his hag off his back, went upon his knees and at once spake to liis God:— “Oh, God, give me grace to need grace.

“Oh, God, give me grace to ask for grace, when i am given to feel my need of grace. “Oh, God, give mo grace to receive - grace when Thou givest the grace I need. “Oh, God, give me grace to show grace when I have received grace from Thee, whether I get grace shown to me or not.” We commend this prayer to everyone who is endeavouring to walk through this world to the glory of God, as a more practically beautiful expression of dependenc.- on God. Eph. 2:5; Rom. 14:7; Titus 2:11-13. SOURCE OF COMFORT. A saint whose name is fragrant over the whole world, was once asked to put in a sentence what had brought such joy and victory into his own life, and he answered in the words of the Psalmist, “I have set the Lord always before me.” That is the secret of everything, that is the true source of comfort, that is the solution of every spritunl difficulty. Tn the world you can never learn anything for this mortal life beyond that, and nowhere on earth can you need more. T think the only true solace is to have a realisation of a Presence that will never fail—the solace of the conscious nearness of Jesus Christ. W. Y. Fullerton, D.D. Let Christ ho with you, and let it lie known that His presence is with you. R. C. Chapman. HUMILITY. Humility was surely one of those Most precious virtues in the Master’s eye : If not, why should lie put it first of aH When naming His Beatitudes to men ? Ho was Himself example ever since. Of that sweet spirit, humble, lowly, meek, Which Ho evinced during His earthly course.

; Tt is the emptied vessel may be filled : • It is the lowly spirit may 1 he raised: When need is felt the rich supply may flow: r When man bows lows low the Spirit may descend. • Give us, O Grace of God! Whate’er our state, The lowliness which fits for fuller • Grace. . That true humility, which may be ; blessed, Since God will give, when the neod | is confessed. —Wm. Olney. • ■ WHEN IN TROUBLE. , When soitow and trouble like sea billows roll, ‘ Tell me the story of Jesus; i When evil assails me and doubts fill my soul, , Tell mo the story of Jesus. • Toll——it to me....... \ Tell it to me, [ Tell rite the story of Jesus; , Tell it to me, ’ When weary from labour I rest by the way, • • , It strengthens my purpose and | brightens the days ' In times of affiliation, when suff’ring from pain, , It softens my pillow, revives me ; again. ’ When life here is over, and time is 1 no more, 1 0 tell it again on the beautiful shore. CONFIDENCE. i Salvation finds us in the dark, but it does not leave us there; it gives , light to those who sit in the valley . of the shadow of death. After conversion our God is our joy, comfort, guide, teacher, and in every sense our ; light; He is light within, light around, ■ and light to be revealed to us. Note, it is not said merely that the Lord . gives light, but that He “is” the light; | not that He gives salvation, but that , He is salvation. He then who by faith has laid hold upon God has all covcn- . ant blessings in His possession. Every light is not the sun, but the sun is the father of all lights. This being ’ mado sure as a fact, the argument in \ the form of a question is, “whom shall I fear.” —C. H. Spurgeon. ! DIVINELY HELD.

When my steps are slow and weary, Shadows o’er me cast, And the way seems long and dreary, Jesus hold me fast. ' He will hold me fast, Till my journey’s past: Ransomed by His precious blood, Jesus holds me fast. Oft when storms and clouds surround me, He has held me fast, With His strong right arm around me, Jesus holds me fast. Wlien my faint heart dreads the morrow, He will hold me fast; When my spirit hows in sorrow, Jesus holds me fast. When the summons, “Come up higher,” Reaches me at last, Face to face I’ll see my Saviour: He has held me fast. HE KNOWS. I know my heavenly Father knows The storms that would my way oppose, But He can drive the clouds away, And turn my darkness into day. He knows, He knows, The storms that would my way oppose, He knows, He knows, And tempers ev’ry wind that blows. I know my heavenly Father knows The halm I need to soothe my woes; And with His touch of love divine, He heals this wounded soul of mine. I know my heavenly Fnther knows How frail 1 am to meet my foes; But Ho my cause will e’er defend, Uphold and keep to mo the end. I know my heavenly Father knows The hour my journey here will close, And may that hour, O faithful Guide, Find me safe sheltered by Thy side.