May 11

God polishes His own

“But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38).
“Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress” (Psa. 4:1).

The Christian prays for fuller manifestations of Christ’s power, and glory, and love to him; but he is often not aware that this is in truth praying to be brought into the furnace; for in the furnace only it is that Christ can walk with His friends, and display, in their preservation and deliverance, His own almighty power. Yet when brought thither, it is one of the worst parts of the trial that the Christian often thinks himself, for a time at least, abandoned.
—Cecil.

She asked to be made like her Savior,
And He took her at her word,
And sent her a heart-crushing burden
Till the depths of her soul were stirred.
She asked for a faith strong, yet simple.
He permitted the dark clouds to come;
She staggered by faith through the darkness,
As the storms did her soul overwhelm. . . .

She asked to lean hard on her Savior;
He took human props quite away,
Till no earthly friend could help her,
And she could do nothing but pray.
I saw her go out to the vineyard
To harvest the golden grain;
Her eyes were still moistened with weeping,
Her heart was still throbbing with pain.

But many a heart that was broken,
And many a wrecked, blighted life
Was made to thank God for her coming,
And rejoiced in the midst of the strife.
She had prayed to be made like her Savior,
And the burden He gave her to bear
Had been but the great Sculptor’s training:
Thus answering her earnest prayer.

Read full article...