Thoughts of Grace

Japanese Ground Orchid from Grandma Crain’s garden to ours.

Good Morning

Psalm 18:28-30
For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

For long the wick of my lamp had served my purpose,
silently ministering as I read beside it.
I felt ashamed that I had not before
noticed its unobtrusive ministry.
I said to the wick:
“For the service of many months I thank thee.”

“What have I done for thee?”

“Hast thou not given light upon my page?”

“Indeed, no:
I have no light to give,
in proof whereof take me from my bath of oil,
and see how quickly I expire.
Thou wilt soon turn me as a piece of smoking flax.
It is not I that burns,
but the oil with which my texture is saturated.
It is this that lights thee.
I simple mediate between the oil in the cistern
and the fire on my edge.
This blackened edge slowly decays,
but the light continually burns.”

“Dost thou not fear becoming exhausted?
See how many inches of coil remain!
Wilt thou be able to give light
till every inch of this is slowly
charred and cut away?”

“I have no fear
so long as the supply of oil does not fail,
if only some kindly hand will remove
from time to time the charred margin . . .
exposing a fresh edge to the flame.
This is my twofold need:
oil and trimming.
Give me these and
I shall burn to the end.”

You may seem altogether helpless and inadequate;
but a living fountain of oil is prepared
to furnish you with inexhaustible supplies.
Not my your might or power, but by His Spirit.
Hour after hour the oil climbs up the wick to the flame!
from Streams in the Desert Vol 2

Matthew 25:4, 7, 10
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

10 . . . and they that were ready went in with him . . .

Be prepared . . . Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie