Psalm 103:14 – He knows our frame, He [earnestly] remembers and imprints [on His heart] that we are dust. (AMP)

Affixed to my refrigerator there is a quotation from the late C. H. Spurgeon: "By perseverance the snail reached the ark." I can picture a poor little snail slithering its way over stones, which in the same proportion to us would appear as mountains, but, nonetheless, over which the snail continues to press on. What a dry sense of humour Spurgeon had! What a wonderful illustration!

Perhaps, today, we feel that we are just slithering along somewhat like the snail, not appearing to make any great spiritual progress. But if we could look more closely at the snail, we would discover a real spiritual lesson for us, and, indeed, great encouragement. The snail had been given a specific course to travel, and it was driven by an inner urgency to reach its final destination: the safety of the ark.

As Christians, we also have a specific journey, which has been carefully mapped out for us. The blueprint was drawn before we were even born, and the gracious Holy Spirit is ready to urge us gently onward. In time we shall also reach our final destination and the safety and security of our ark: heaven and home — proving that the criterion is not speed but consistency.

Prayer: Gracious heavenly Father, we thank You because You know us so well. You know how far we should travel this day on our spiritual journey. You know how frail we are, and You continue to love us and to nurture us in our frailty. Thank You for that Fellow Traveller, the gracious Holy Spirit. We present our thanks and praise in and through the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

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