December 7

"Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." —John 1:16.

LINKED in communion with Christ, I have endless opportunities of advancement. I receive, St. John tells me, grace for grace.

He means—grace in succession to grace. In the early hours of my friendship with my Saviour I have a glowing love. But, as yet, I have little patience, little watchfulness, little power to resist temptation, little skill to endure trial. But these will all come to me one by one, the gifts of my Lord. In the new day, there are morning blessings, and noontide blessings, and evening blessings; and each arrives at its proper season.

And he means—grace to be the complement and completion of grace. I am more disposed towards certain features of the Christian life than towards others. I prefer tenderness before righteousness, or justice before forgiveness, or joy before seriousness, or holy fear before glad assurance. But, as I look to Jesus and follow Him, He fills up what is lacking in my character; He does not wish me to be one-sided and partial, but full-orbed and full-grown.

And he means—grace as the reward and coronation of grace. Everything of good I possess, every victory I win, is His bestowment. Yet he blesses it, He recompenses it, as though it were my doing and not His. He is well pleased with the feeble beginnings of the better life in me, and He gives me, in token of His approval, a stronger faith and a nobler soul. He diadems my feeble grace; and what is His garland? It is grace more mature, more perfect, more worthy.

So there are no limits to my upward progress.