Holy Father, thou hast taught me
I should live to thee alone;
Year by year thy hand hath brought me
On through dangers oft unknown;
When I wandered, thou hast found me,
When I doubted, sent me light;
Still thine arm has been around me,
All my paths were in thy sight.

In the world will foes assail me,
Craftier, stronger far than I;
And the strife may never fail me,
Well I know, before I die.
Therefore, Lord, I come, believing
Thou canst give the power I need;
Through the prayer of faith receiving
Strength-the Spirit's strength, indeed.

I would trust in thy protecting,
Wholly rest upon thine arm;
Follow wholly thy directing,
Thou, mine only guard from harm!
Keep me from mine own undoing,
Help me turn to thee when tried,
Still my footsteps, Father, viewing,
Keep me ever at thy side.
                      J. M. Neale


God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.  Psalms 62:11

Believe the mighty power of God.  Consider:

(1.)  It is difficult to believe his power.  But how can that be?  Is not this a piece of natural divinity, that God is almighty?  What need is there, then, to press people to believe it?  Great need; because this is the great thing we are apt to question in cases of difficulty.  Else, why do we pray with cheerfulness when we see great probability of a thing, but faint in prayer when it is otherwise?  And why do we cry out, in sad times, “Oh, we shall never see good days again?”

(2.)  The firm belief of God’s power is of great concern and moment in religion.  Faith is never quite laid by till the soul questions the power of God.  “Oh, he cannot pardon, he cannot save!”  When it cometh to this, the soul is no longer able to hold out.  So that the life and vigour of faith is very much concerned in the belief of God’s power.  It is, indeed, one of the first steps to all religion.  Therefore it is put in the front of our creed:  “I believe in God, the Father ALMIGHTY;” and he that believes that first article will the more easily believe all the rest.

(3.)  God is much displeased, even with his own children, when his power is questioned by them.  For this God takes up Moses short:  “Is the Lord’s hand waxed short?” (Numbers 11:23); as if he had said: ”What, Moses, dost thou think that my power is exhausted or weakened?  What an unworthy conceit is this!”  For this also Christ rebuked Martha very sharply:  “Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” John 11:40.  Yea, God is so tender of the glory of his power, and he hath sharply chastened his dear children when their faith staggered in this matter; as we see in Zacharias, who, for questioning the power of God, was immediately stricken dumb upon the place.  Well, then, let it be your great care to have your faith confirmed in the belief of God’s almighty power.  For this end, ponder the verbal declarations made of it in the Holy Scriptures; consider and improve the manifestations he hath given of it, both in your own and former times; and pray much that God would strengthen and increase your faith.
                                                                                                                                        William Wisheart