November 25

Nineteenth Monday after Trinity

He that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. 1 S. John 5:18.

PRAY for the grace of God, and for the second grace to use it; and then use it. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a stedfast spirit within me." A spirit (literally) firmly fixed, established, steadied; not steady in itself, but steadied by God; steadied as being firmly built on that Foundation which is Christ. We can by the grace of God keep ourselves from present grievous falls. We can by His grace withhold ourselves from words and deeds akin to our past falls and offences against God's goodness; we can keep ourselves from consenting in will to those sins. We can by His grace overcome, in the main, present temptations, fight against them through the might of Christ, be diligent in deeds of good as too many were once in evil, and wherein through human infirmity we fail, we can by that same grace quickly return. Do we what by His grace we can, and what we cannot let us pray Him to do Who can, and will, do all things for good to those who seek Him. Let every pang of misery and self-reproach issue in a brief prayer to Him, a sigh for His help, a longing for His purity, and He will create in thee a clean heart, and every cry shall bring down the touch of His Hand to cleanse it.

Lord! who are they that thus choose Thee, But those Thou first didst choose?

To whom Thou gav'st Thy grace most free, Thy grace not to refuse.

We of ourselves can nothing do, But all on Thee depend;

Thine is the work and wages too, Thine both the way and end.