Grace, please.

Two verses today:

Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  2 Timothy 2:1

                                                   and

He will deliver us if you will cooperate by praying.  2 Corinthians 1:11

Each hand delivered by my two favorite Christians: Charles Spurgeon and Elisabeth Elliot.  Just in time for my internal "disconcertment"  over R and now L.

First Charles Spurgeon on 2 Timothy 2:1.  He says:

Christ has grace without measure in himself, but He has not retained it for Himself.  As the reservoir empties itself into the pipes, so has Christ emptied out His grace for His people.  "Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace" (John 1:16).  He seems only to have in order to dispense to us.  He stands like the fountain, always flowing, but only running in order to supply the empty pitchers and the thirsty lips that draw near to it.  Like a tree, He bears sweet fruit, not to hang on boughs, but to be gathered by those who have need.  Grace, whether its word is to pardon, to cleanse, to preserve, to strengthen, to enlighten, to quicken, or to restore, is ever to be had from Him freely and without price.  Nor is there one form of the work of grace that He has not bestowed on His people.  As the blood of the body, though flowing from the heart, belongs equally to every member, so the influences of grace are the inheritance of every saint united to the Lamb.  Herein there is a sweet communion between Christ and His church, inasmuch as they both receive the same grace.  Christ is the Head on which the oil is first poured, but the same oil runs to the very skirts of the garments, so the the humblest saint has an unction of the same costly moisture as that which fell on the Head.  This is true communion when the sap of grace flows from the stem to the branch, and when it is perceived that the stem itself is sustained by the very nourishment that feeds the branch.  As we day by day receive grace from Jesus, and more constantly recognize it as coming from Him, we will behold Him in communion with us, and enjoy communion with Him.  Let us make daily use of our riches and ever to to Him as to our own Lord in covenant, taking from Him the supply of all we need with as much boldness as men take money from their own pockets.   

                                                                               From Morning and Evening

And from Elisabeth Elliot:

He Will if You Will

All through the Bible we see the interworking of the will of God and the will of man.  It was God, Creator and Sovereign, who conceived freedom for man -- the glorious likeness to Himself in "the dignity of causality," to use Pascal's phrase.  All things are so arranged in God's universe that He may work His will through man's exercising his gift of a free will.  It is a gift, and one which, while it confers staggering power on us humans, also limits the Almighty.  Here lies the tremendous mystery -- that god should be all-powerful, yet refuse to coerce.  he summons us to cooperation.  we are honored in being given the opportunity to participate in His good deeds.  Remember how He asked for help in performing His miracles: Fill the waterpots, stretch out your hand, distribute the loaves.

This little word of Paul's to the Corinthian Christians contains the whole kernel of that truth: "He will deliver us if you will cooperate by praying" (2 Cor 1:11)

Is there something you are hoping for today?  Perhaps here is a condition you must fulfill before the Lord can grant it.  He will if you will.

I will.  O Lord, please help us with R.  Guide us, prepare his heart to order his steps in Your prescribed path.  Let us have a good relationship with the doctors.  Help R understand what's going on and cooperate with the help that is required.  Please help me today.  Let me get him an appointment today, let there be no hold up with the office staff, no more hoops to jump through.  Give the doctor wisdom to choose the right medication to help R on the first go.  Please help us, Lord.  Please let R succeed.

And Lord, I lift up L to you.  She has a crush.  Her heart is full of him and empty of You.  O Lord, please help her to see the dangerous path she is on.  Turn her around, I pray.  I pray You would help her and be with her.  Help her see things from Your perspective, Your truth.  Preserve my relationship with her so I can help her.  Give her the courage to come to me for guidance and help.  I pray that You would end this crush, put an end to this relationship.  I pray You would put an end to this and help her to see the wisdom of avoiding these flirtations in the future.

Thank You, Lord, for revealing what was hidden, both in L and R.  I praise You for that faithfulness.  Thank You.  You are looking our for us, for them.

O Lord, be with this family.  Keep us in You, in Your will.  Preserve us, these kids.  O Lord, I am weak and impotent.  Be my power.  Be these kids' heavenly Father.  Intervene on their behalf.   Thank You.