Adore the Grace Which Opens Our Eyes
We should trust in God's heart full of grace towards us and wait for Him to send us packets of letters rich and full of answers to prayer.
Anne Dutton preaches about the importance of waiting on the Lord, even when it seems like He is silent, emphasizing that God's delays are not denials but opportunities for Him to display His infinite kindness and draw our hearts closer to Him. She encourages believers to trust in God's timing and to look forward to the rich answers to prayer that He is preparing in secret. Additionally, she highlights how the gospel reveals mysteries to the children of light, contrasting them with the children of darkness who are blinded by error and hatred for the light.
Text
Dear Sir,
When we do not hear from God by sensible answers to prayer for a long season, we begin to think it very strange, to fear His displeasure, and to have many grieving thoughts arise in our hearts. But all the while our God delays sending to us by sensible kind providences, His heart is full of grace towards us, His glorious thoughts are employed about us, and He is but writing longer epistles of love to us, to make the greater display of His infinite kindness, and the more to endear our hearts to Him thereby, when He brings forth to open view what He had been long working for us in secret. Let us therefore wait for the Lord, who hides Himself from the house of Jacob, and let us look for Him; by and by He will send us packets of letters, rich and full of answers of prayer that have been long preparing by His wisdom and grace according to the are of God.
The children of light see the glory of the gospel, rejoice, and live under its warming beams, its quickening shine. Unto them, though babes, the mysteries of the Kingdom shall be revealed, which are hidden from the wise and prudent--from the dark world--the children of darkness, who hate the light--and by the darkness of error, advanced by some who hold the truth in unrighteousness, are further blinded, under the all-wise and holy permission of the adorable Sovereign of heaven and earth. Let us who see, adore the grace which opens our eyes!
Sermon Outline
- God's Delayed Answers to Prayer points: - Do not fear His displeasure when He delays - His heart is full of grace towards us
- God's Secret Work points: - He writes longer epistles of love to us - To make the greater display of His infinite kindness
- Waiting for the Lord points: - Look for Him, He will send us packets of letters - Rich and full of answers to prayer
- The Children of Light points: - See the glory of the gospel and rejoice - Live under its warming beams and quickening shine
- Adoring the Grace points: - That opens our eyes to the mysteries of the Kingdom - Which are hidden from the wise and prudent
Key Quotes
“His heart is full of grace towards us, His glorious thoughts are employed about us, and He is but writing longer epistles of love to us, to make the greater display of His infinite kindness, and the more to endear our hearts to Him thereby, when He brings forth to open view what He had been long working for us in secret.” — Anne Dutton
“Let us therefore wait for the Lord, who hides Himself from the house of Jacob, and let us look for Him; by and by He will send us packets of letters, rich and full of answers of prayer that have been long preparing by His wisdom and grace according to the are of God.” — Anne Dutton
“Let us who see, adore the grace which opens our eyes!” — Anne Dutton
Application Points
- We should trust in God's heart full of grace towards us, even when He delays answering our prayers.
- We should wait for the Lord and look for Him, He will send us packets of letters rich and full of answers to prayer.
- We should adore the grace that opens our eyes to the mysteries of the Kingdom.