Providence

   God gives and He takes, however we like it when He gives but we question Him when He takes away.

Verse of the day: "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:1-2)

Grace, let us strive to understand and apply it in our Christian life.

 Graciously Receiving All Christ Endured

For those people who think that they are happy and fine even though they are not Christian the following passage taken from the Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray M'Cheyne is a grim reminder:

"perphaps you will tell me that you are very happy as you are (the unconverted state).  I quite believe you.  I know that I was very happy when I was unforgiven.  I know that I had great pleasure in many sins-in Sabbath-breaking, for instance.  Many a delightful walk I have had,-speaking my own words, thinking my own thoughts, and seeking my own pleasure on God's holy day.  I fancy few boys were ever happier in an unconverted state than I was.  No sorrow clouded my brow-no tears filled my eyes, unless over some nice storybook; so that I know that you say quite true, when you say that you are happy as you are.  But ah! is not this just the saddest thing of all, that you should be happy whilst your are a child of wrath,-that you should smile, and eat, and drink, and be merry, and sleep sound, when this very night you may be in hell?  Happy while unforgiven!-a terrible happiness.  Yes, you may be quite happy in this way, till you die, my boy; but when you look back from hell, you will say, it was a miserable kind of happiness.  Now, do you think it would not give you more happiness to be forgiven,-to be able to put on Jesus, and say, 'God's anger is turned away'?"  (P.49)