Part 22

GEORGE ELIOT.

March 21

Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.--MATT. vi. 32.

All as God wills, who wisely heeds To give or to withhold; And knoweth more of all my needs Than all my prayers have told.

J. G. WHITTIER.

Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee; Thou only knowest what I need; Thou lovest me better than I know how to love myself. O Father! give to Thy child that which he himself knows not how to ask. I dare not ask either for crosses or consolations; I simply present myself before Thee; I open my heart to Thee. Behold my needs which I know not myself; see, and do according to Thy tender mercy. Smite, or heal; depress me, or raise me up; I adore all Thy purposes without knowing them; I am silent; I offer myself in sacrifice; I yield myself to Thee; I would have no other desire than to accomplish Thy will. Teach me to pray; pray Thyself in me.

FRANÇOIS DE LA MOTHE FÉNELON.

March 22

He that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little.--ECCLESIASTICUS xix. I.

One finger's-breadth at hand will mar A world of light in heaven afar, A mote eclipse a glorious star, An eyelid hide the sky.

J. KEBLE.

A single sin, however apparently trifling, however hidden in some obscure corner of our consciousness,--a sin which we do not intend to renounce,--is enough to render real prayer impracticable. A course of action not wholly upright and honorable, feelings not entirely kind and loving, habits not spotlessly chaste and temperate,--any of these are impassable obstacles. If we know of a kind act which we might, but do not intend to, perform,--if we be aware that our moral health requires the abandonment of some pleasure which yet we do not intend to abandon, here is cause enough for the loss of all spiritual power.

F. P. COBBE.

It is astonishing how soon the whole conscience begins to unravel, if a single stitch drops; one little sin indulged makes a hole you could put your head through.

CHARLES BUXTON.

March 23

Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest.--3 JOHN 5.

And this also we wish, even your perfection.--2 COR. xiii. 9.

In all the little things of life, Thyself, Lord, may I see; In little and in great alike Reveal Thy love to me.

So shall my undivided life To Thee, my God, be given; And all this earthly course below Be one dear path to heaven.

H. BONAR.

In order to mould thee into entire conformity to His will, He must have thee pliable in His hands, and this pliability is more quickly reached by yielding in the little things than even by the greater. Thy one great desire is to follow Him fully; canst thou not say then a continual "yes" to all His sweet commands, whether small or great, and trust Him to lead thee by the shortest road to thy fullest blessedness?

H. W. SMITH.

With meekness, humility, and diligence, apply yourself to the duties of your condition. They are the seemingly little things which make no noise that do the business.

HENRY MORE.

March 24

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.--PS. iv. 8.

He giveth His beloved sleep.--PS. cxxvii. 2.