This is dedicated to the original Christian blogger – Oswald Chambers.
This morning I opened my copy of “My Utmost For His Highest“. It the classic edition of Chamber’s Daily Devotional. The Classic Edition is how Chambers actually wrote in his devotional diary. It is not modernized or watered down. Back in his day, one was allowed to call things exactly as they saw them, and were ready to face whatever consequences they faced for speaking out. And the listener had the right to not be offended.
I am always pleasantly surprised to discover that today’s entry just so happens to be an issue I am wrestling with at the very moment.
One of the repeated experiences Jesus dealt with concerning His disciples was their fear and unbelief. Circumstances in my life, these last 6 months, have given me a new perspective on these items. Rather than try to give you, the informed reader, my interpolation of what Chambers wrote, I am going to give it to you word for word, just as Chambers wrote it in his diary. It was written in the British language as used during WWI, England. Any spacing was added by me so that this can be digested in bite-sized paragraphs. Chambers could pack a LOT into a sentence. It is a skill I pray fervently for.
I want to thank my Christian Brother, Rick Mansfield, for giving me this special edition copy after I was saved. God bless you Rick. I love you.
Published by permission of DODD MEAD & Company, INC.
Copyright, 1935, by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. Copy right renewed 1963 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd. ISBN-0-916441-42-3
p.225
August 12th
THE THEOLOGY OF REST
“Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” Matthew viii. 26 RV
When we are in fear, we can do nothing less than pray to God, but our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His Name should have an understanding confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the reliable ones.
Our trust is in God up to a certain point, then we go back to the elementary panic prayers of those who do not know God. We get to our wits’ end, showing that we have not the slightest confidence in Him and His government of the world; He seems to be asleep, and we see nothing but breakers ahead.
“O ye of little faith!” What a pang must have shot through the disciples – ‘Missed it again!’ And what a pang will go through us when we suddenly realize that we might have produced downright joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, no matter what was ahead.
There are stages in life when there is no storm, so crisis, when we do our human best; it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to trust Him, the crisis will reveal that we go to the breaking point and not break in our confidence in Him.
We have been talking a great deal about sanctification – what is it all going to amount to? It should work out into rest in God which means oneness with God, a oneness which will make us not only blameless in His sight, but a deep joy to Him.
Let’s be about it!
Love always,
sammy.snardfarkle@gmail.com
David G. Perkins 