Grace for Today

by

One of our long-term (over 40 years) Cadence missionaries, Doyle Spader, went home to be with Jesus last month.

His wife Chris recounted to Joyce and me a conversation she and Doyle often had in the weeks before his death. They would say to each other: “We have grace for the day—it is always enough. It’s only not enough if I’m trying to get it for the next day.”

We have grace for today friends. Tomorrow’s grace will not be available until tomorrow.

We were privileged to be with Chris and the extended Spader family in South Dakota to celebrate Doyle’s life and grieve the loss of this gentle, kind, and wise man from the earth. Chris shared with us a beautiful prayer Doyle had written in his journal as he neared heaven. Here is a portion of that prayer:

“I thank Thee for the grace You’ve given to me and to Chris. What wonderful grace. I thank you O Lord—for so many praying for us. So many who bring us to the Throne of Grace. Hear their prayers O Lord. Thank you for the participants of Thy grace. May their fruit of righteousness—which comes from Jesus Christ—bring Thee praise and honor.”

In this prayer we have a sacred glimpse into Doyle’s innermost thoughts as he poured his heart out to God in the middle of his suffering. It is so beautiful and powerful. Do you hear him thanking God for all of us who were praying for him? God’s ever-present grace brought him and Chris much comfort—grace for each day as they walked Doyle’s journey to heaven.

I imagine you also need the comforting presence of God’s grace for today. I do. None of us have it yet for tomorrow. We can either fret, worry, and be anxious about the uncertainty of what is to come, or we can walk in the peace of trusting God for today’s grace. Doyle and Chris remind us, “It is always enough.”

Here is the last line of Doyle’s written prayer: “Whether by life or by death may Jesus be exalted.” Mission accomplished Doyle Spader, mission accomplished!

Let us each walk in the grace of God today, that Jesus may be exalted and the gospel may be proclaimed in each of our locations and in military communities around the world.

David Schroeder
President