Divine art

I will boast of such a man, but of myself I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 2 Corinthians 12: 5

Dr. Edward Judson, speaking about the life of his father, Adoniram Judson, at the inauguration of the Judson Memorial Church in New York, said : "Suffering and success go hand in hand, if you succeed without suffering, it is because others before you have suffered, if you suffer without succeeding, it is because others succeed after you."

Happy are those who cry. They can be happy because they know that their pain, their distress and their privations are the work of a new creation, the birth of a better world. They can be happy if they are aware that the Master Artist, God, uses both light and shadow to produce a masterpiece worthy of the divine art.

They can also boast in their infirmities, smile through their tears and sing in the midst of their sorrow, because they realize that, in God's economy, "if we suffer, we will also reign with him".

Prayer for the day

In suffering, I will learn to praise you, my loving Savior.

Billy Graham