Drawing on the Grace of God¡X Now
We¡Kplead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ¡X2 Corinthians 6:1
The grace you had yesterday will not be sufficient for
today. Grace is the overflowing favor of God, and you can always count on it being
available to draw upon as needed. ¡§¡Kin much patience, in tribulations, in
needs, in distresses¡¨¡X that is where our patience is tested (2 Corinthians 6:4). Are you failing to rely on the grace of God there? Are you saying to
yourself, ¡§Oh well, I won¡¦t count this time¡¨? It is not a question of praying
and asking God to help you¡X it is taking the grace of God now. We tend
to make prayer the preparation for our service, yet it is never that in the
Bible. Prayer is the practice of drawing on the grace of God. Don¡¦t say, ¡§I
will endure this until I can get away and pray.¡¨ Pray now ¡X draw on the
grace of God in your moment of need. Prayer is the most normal and useful
thing; it is not simply a reflex action of your devotion to God. We are very
slow to learn to draw on God¡¦s grace through prayer.
¡§¡Kin stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in
labors¡K¡¨ (2 Corinthians 6:5)¡X in all these things, display in your life a
drawing on the grace of God, which will show evidence to yourself and to others
that you are a miracle of His. Draw on His grace now, not later. The primary
word in the spiritual vocabulary is now. Let circumstances take you
where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you
may find yourself. One of the greatest proofs that you are drawing on the grace
of God is that you can be totally humiliated before others without displaying
even the slightest trace of anything but His grace.
¡§¡Khaving nothing¡K.¡¨ Never hold anything in reserve.
Pour yourself out, giving the best that you have, and always be poor. Never be
diplomatic and careful with the treasure God gives you. ¡§¡Kand yet possessing
all things¡¨¡X this is poverty triumphant (2 Corinthians 6:10).
(Taken from Oswald Chambers ¡V ¡§My Utmost
for His Highest¡¨ June 26)