April 29

And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you. — 1 Pet 5:10 BSB

Everything we have, everything we are, and everything we know or feel spiritually comes from “the God of all grace.” We possess nothing good in ourselves; all that we have is the free gift of His hand and flows from the Fountain of mercy and truth. It will be a great mercy to us if, with the Lord’s help, we are always looking to Him—not looking to books, not looking to ministers, who are but instruments and poor ones at that. The soul must look through all and above all to “the God of all grace.” May the Lord enable you to examine every truth presented to you by the light of God’s Spirit in your heart, to “prove all things, and hold fast that which is good.”

And no matter how deeply you feel the vileness of your heart, remember that there is “the God of all grace” to whom you can go. If you feel like the vilest of sinners, you are especially suited to go to Him as “the God of all grace.” If you feel dark, barren, and lifeless, it is all the more reason to call upon “the God of all grace” to revive your soul. If you have lost past joys and are now “walking in darkness,” it is even more reason to seek “the God of all grace” that He may supply your needs out of Christ’s fullness as your covenant Head. Whatever trials, perplexities, and temptations are harassing your soul, they are only opening the way for “the God of all grace” to appear. In whatever affliction you find yourself, it is both your wisdom and mercy to look up to Him, just as Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and committed his case to God.