Grace Asking for More Grace
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"Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight." Exodus 33:13
Moses was in the immediate presence of the Most High when he prayed thus, yet with what holy boldness does he press his suit, and what gracious acceptance does he find at the hands of the Lord! Come, my soul, dare also to use like mighty pleadings. Those were Sinai days, and "law and terrors" were the symbols of God's government; but you are under Calvary's sacred shadow, surely you can ask great things from "the Shepherd of Love" who suffered there for you.
"If I have found grace in Your sight." If You have loved me from all eternity, and chosen me, a poor sinner, to be Your own pardoned child — I may certainly draw from Your past mercy, a sweet reason for asking You to continue and extend it. My position at this moment, in Your presence, and at Your feet, abundantly proves that I have already found grace in Your sight, or You would not have called me by name, and taught me thus to seek Your favor. And now that I am admitted to the audience-chamber, and You have graciously held out the golden sceptre to me — help me, O Lord, so to present my petition, that You may give me what I ask!
"Show me now Your way." You know how blind I am by nature, how often I am puzzled and astonished at Your dealings with me, and how frequently the way before me is dark, and hidden, and rough. Throw a ray of heavenly light across all that seems indistinct and gloomy; let "Your way" be illumined by the clear shining of Your love; then how easy and pleasant will it be to walk in it! In days gone by, I have sought and striven to go my own way, and, O Lord, it has been sorry traveling indeed; but now Your grace has made me, not only willing — but determined that my feet shall tread no other path than that which You mark out!
"That I may know You." My gracious God, in thus showing me Your way — You must needs draw me closer to You. You will touch my eyes — that I may see; You will reveal Yourself to my heart — that I may understand Your will; You will permit endearing communings with You which will ravish my soul — and be to me a foretaste of Heaven. There have been times when You were as a stranger to me — when Your love was not recognized, nor Your claims regarded; but You have now manifested Yourself, with Divine power, as the Lord and Master of my heart, and I am longing, with intense desire, to know You and the power of Your resurrection!
Lord, there is nothing my heart craves for so passionately as "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," I understand somewhat of Your amazing love and grace — but to be able to plunge into the great deeps of Your covenant mercies — to soar into the limitless space of Your faithfulness — to travel from the East to West of Your pardoning love — and never find any boundary to Your pity and Your power, this would be to taste of the unspeakable joy which glorified spirits know. Ah! dear Lord, "if I have found grace in Your sight," will You not at least so sweetly reveal Yourself to my waiting heart, that I may be constrained and enabled to exclaim with the spouse in the Canticles, "This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend!"
"That I may find grace in Your sight." Blessed Master, the more I know of You — the more grace I shall find in Your sight; and when You see anything of Your own likeness in me, You will perfect and complete it. You will draw me, and I shall run after You; and the very fact of following You, will clear my vision, and enlighten my understanding, so that I may see and comprehend more of Your beauty and preciousness — more of Your marvelous grace to me. You know that everything of earth tends to hide my Lord from me: Satan envelopes me in dark clouds of unbelief; my own sinful heart blinds me; cares oppress and crush me; and carnal fears gather round, intent on my bewilderment. But, loving Savior, "if I have found grace in Your sight," nothing can separate me from You; You have taken my hand in Yours, and through all dangers, over all difficulties, and in spite of all enemies — You will lead and guide me safely home to Yourself. Therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight — show me now Your way — that I may know You — that I may find grace in Your sight."
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