Supplication: That Christ May Be In Us

That Christ may be in us!

Most gracious Father, we who have received Christ now desire to receive something more than pardon and salvation. We long that Christ may be in us the hope of glory—aye, of glory, of perfection, and exaltation. If we are darkened to-day, may we be enlightened by the brightness of the hope that is to be revealed. Help Thy poor servants to live above poverty, because they are rich in Christ. Let Thy suffering and afflicted ones, though the body be torn with pain, yet be full of joy, because there is a hope—a glorious hope—that the body shall be raised again from the grave and shall suffer no more. The Lord grant us grace not to live in this cloudy day of the present, but to mount aloft into the eternal brightness of the future, and to anticipate those joys which Thou has reserved for them that love Thee.

Lord, keep us firmly believing in Thee. Forgive us whenever we sinfully mistrust Thee, and help us to believe Thee, come what may; yea, help us when the burden is heaviest, still to believe Thee, and help us to cast it upon Thee, being assured that as our day is, so shall our strength be. We would each one of us ask of Thee, this morning, greater fruitfulness unto God. We want that our whole life should be full of honour and glory unto God. Let us be loaded down with clusters, bowed down if need be like a well-laden branch. We wish not to be broken off; but we would always be content to bear any breakage, if we might but be loaded to the full with fruit for the Well-beloved. Amen.