The year draws to its close. December comes like another milestone in the journey. We have covered, as it were, one more lap in our race of faith toward the goal where our Captain and Leader waits.

But as we pass this mark, let us return over the course of the year in the swift chariot of memory, asking the Lord Himself to sit with us and mark our steps, as the past moves in review before the eyes of our hearts.

Let us ask Him to speak to us about our ways, to mark our failures, to sharpen our spiritual discernment, to let the light-beam of His eyes that are like a flame of fire illuminate and set in relief before our vision, thus cleared of the clouds that too often darken our apprehension, the sayings, the doings, yea, the very motives of our conduct, that we may see all according to His holy judgment. And this not only as to the many things in which we have offended, but as to those that have seemed good to us, yet in which we may have failed to detect some taint of fleshly corruption.

Humble our hearts it surely will, smite perhaps some hidden pride that lurks in one of their dark corners, from which selfishness has shut out the light in the past, because something of expediency or seeming present advantage was played up by forces of darkness which we were not spiritually strong enough to resist.

Such a brief journey of retrospection will not be traveled far with Him before we will be constrained to fall at His blessed feet in tearful confession of our failure in even the things we thought our best. Better far to face the prospect of another year, or, rather, the any moment call to His presence, saying, as chastened, humbled, and contrite:

Blessed Lord, be it only a day that still lies ahead in the race I run, lead me to pass its hours in that closeness of spiritual contact with Thee that I may know better how to control the energies of my spirit, the motions of my soul, the members of my body, for Thy glory. J. Bloore