April 26, 2026
— Griffith John · Source: "The Holy Spirit in Connection with Mission Work", Shanghai Missionary Conference, 1877; in R. Wardlaw Thompson, Griffith John: The Story of Fifty Years in China (1906), pp. 326–327
James 2:17, 22 So faith without works is dead. ... Therefore, faith works in harmony with his works, and faith is perfected through works.
Griffith John's call to make "the throne of grace" our refuge reminds us that faith should not merely be intellectual knowledge or self-satisfaction confined to a secluded room. Reflecting on our lives today: Do I only cry out in times of difficulty, yet shrink back when action is needed? True piety is drawing love from above in prayer and then transforming that love into concrete steps of serving others. Without a burden for others, prayer easily becomes hypocrisy; without God's power, action will ultimately wither. Only by balancing spirituality and practice can life have depth.
Dear Lord, thank You for inspiring me through the examples of the sages. Grant me a heart that thirsts for prayer, so that I may learn to kneel and lay down my pride, receiving Your unfathomable abundance and power. Furthermore, grant me a courageous heart, so that my feet may not confine themselves to my comfort zone, but be keenly aware of the needs around me, reaching out to those lost, lonely, and weak souls. May my faith not only remain in words, but also in the practical love and service of the Gospel, living out its power and glorifying Your holy name. Amen.