Category: Conviction

The Grace of Never

Photo: Scott Mitchell, August 2016
Photo: Scott Mitchell, August 2016

For all the blessings, benefits, and benedictions of the Gospel, together with all its ‘yes and amens’ in Christ Jesus…

…all its liberties and affirmations…

… to *truly* know the rapture of our emancipation means self-surrender to the grace of ‘never’.

May the mercies of Christ lead us through this petition, and help us to get traction in pivoting away from being careless with our faith and laying hold of ‘so great salvation’1.

“O LORD, May I

never

fail to come to the knowledge of the truth,

never

rest in a system of doctrine, however scriptural, that does not bring or further salvation, or teach me to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, or help me to live soberly, righteously, godly;

never

rely on my own convictions and resolutions, but be strong in thee and in thy might;

never

cease to find thy grace sufficient in all my duties, trials, and conflicts;

never

forget to repair to thee in all my spiritual distresses and outward troubles, in all the dissatisfactions experienced in creature comforts;

never

fail to retreat to him who is full of grace and truth, the friend that loveth at all times, who is touched with feelings of my infirmities, and can do exceeding abundantly for me;

never

confine my religion to extraordinary occasions, but acknowledge thee in all my ways;

never

limit my devotions to particular seasons but be in thy fear all the day long;

never

be godly only on the sabbath or in thy house, but on every day abroad and at home;

never

make piety a dress but a habit,

not only a habit but a nature,

not only a nature but a life. 

Do good to me by all thy dispensations, by all means of grace, by worship, prayers, praises,

And at last let me enter that world where is no temple, but only thy glory and the Lamb’s.”

– The Valley of Vision, The ‘Nevers’ of the Gospel

1Hebrews 2:3

Either Way…I Still Praise Him.

You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
(David, Psalm 139:5)

We are distressed/hard-pressed/troubled/squeezed on every side…
(Paul, 2 Corinthians 4:8)

Nobody puts ‘Baby’ in a corner.
(Johnny Castle, Dirty Dancing)

I’m feeling ‘hemmed in’ these days. Diminished. Limited. Grounded, like a teenager: no keys, no car, no friends. Just school, then home.

On top of that, I feel cornered. Outnumbered.

It’s redolent of a scene in Thor where the Viking hero and his compatriots infiltrate the Frost Giant’s lair and are met by a relentless enemy in wave after wave, each giant becoming more formidable than the last and more numerous than before.

Yeah, that captures it nicely.

On every front a vexing battle is being waged and it seems like I am losing ground.

Ministry.

Family.

Finances.

Friends.

Health.

Some fronts are more like skirmishes while others border on “Shock and Awe.” These days I look like the Arizona border, Iraq (in March, 2003) and Afghanistan all rolled into one. Continue reading Either Way…I Still Praise Him.