Give Me the Victory

1 Corinthians 15:57 – “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory that overcometh the world, even our victory.”

A little boy was spending his Saturday morning playing in his sandbox. He had with him his box of cars and trucks, his plastic pail, and a shiny, red plastic shovel. In the process of creating roads and tunnels in the soft sand, he discovered a large rock in the middle of the sandbox. The lad dug around the rock, managing to dislodge it from the dirt. With no little bit of struggle, he pushed and nudged the rock across the sandbox by using his feet. (He was a very small boy and the rock was very huge.) When the boy got the rock to the edge of the sandbox, however, he found that he couldn't roll it up and over the little wall. Determined, the little boy shoved, pushed, and pried, but every time he thought he had made some progress, the rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox. The little boy grunted, struggled, pushed, shoved – but his only reward was to have the rock roll back, smashing his chubby fingers. Finally he burst into tears of frustration.

All this time the boy's father watched from his living room window as the drama unfolded. At the moment the tears fell, a large shadow fell across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. Gently but firmly he said, "Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had available?"

Defeated, the boy sobbed back, "But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all the strength that I had!"

"No, son," corrected the father kindly. "You didn't use all the strength you had. You didn't ask me." With that the father reached down, picked up the rock, and removed it from the sandbox.

Do you have "rocks" in your life that need to be removed? Are you discovering that you don't have what it takes to lift them? There is One who is always available to us and willing to give us the strength we need.

Give Me the Victory

O Gracious Father, to Thee I plead.

Be Thou my Helper in time of need.

As Thou hast promised I call to Thee.

Show me Thy wonders; do great things through me.

O Blessed Saviour, my Lord and King,

To Thee my praises shall ever ring.

Thou hast redeemed me on Calvary’s cross,

Hast died and saved me from eternal loss.

O Precious Spirit, I yield to Thee.

O Holy Spirit, come fill Thou me.

Show me the Saviour — teach me His love

That I may please Him in His courts above.

For me to live in this world below,

It’s such a struggle Thy Will to know.

Help me to conquer all worldly fare.

“Give me the victory,” is my daily prayer.

© 2006 Paul Stultz

Quote - "By the grace of God I am what I am: not I, but the grace of God in me. Whereupon, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ, who has been pleased to give me the victory." – John Knox's Last Words

"Lord, Thank you for the victory we can have - not only daily victory in this world - but the ultimate victory we have promised culminating in eternal life with you. Help us to rest upon this promise and rejoice in you always. Amen."