Daily Strength for Daily Needs - May 16

No man can serve two masters.--MATT. vi. 24.

  Oh, there are heavenly heights to reach
    In many a fearful place,
  Where the poor timid heir of God
    Lies blindly on his face;
  Lies languishing for grace divine
    That he shall never see
  Till he go forward at Thy sign,
    And trust himself to Thee.

A. L. WARING.

Reservations lie latent in the mind concerning some unhallowed sentiments
or habits in the present, some possibly impending temptations in the
future; and thus do we cheat ourselves of inward and outward joys together.
We give up many an indulgence for conscience' sake, but stop short at that
point of entire faithfulness wherein conscience could reward us. If we
would but give ourselves wholly to God,--give up, for the present and the
future, every act, and, above all, every thought and every feeling, to be
all purified to the uttermost, and rendered the best, noblest, holiest we
can conceive,--then would sacrifice bear with it a peace rendering itself,
I truly believe, far easier than before.

F. P. COBBE.