Enable Us

Elizabeth Elliot Devotional

Title: Enable Thy Servants

Many of our prayers are for a quick and easy
solution. God is more glorified in his people
when they exhibit his grace under pressure. When
Peter and John had been discharged by the rulers,
elders, and doctors of the Jewish law with orders
not to speak again in the name of Jesus, the
Christians prayed about it--"They raised their
voices as one man and called upon God." Their
prayer was not, "Make these people stop
persecuting Thy servant," but, remembering the
word of prophecy concerning how the Messiah was
to be treated, they asked God only to notice what
was happening to his servants and to enable them
to speak with boldness (Acts 4:29 NEB).

We, too, may bring any difficult situation to our
heavenly Father, laying it before his eyes, and
asking not for instant escape but for
"enablement"--for strength to sustain the burden
and do what we ought to do without the fear of
man.