Eric and I thought this was a great devotional from "My Utmost for His Highest" this morning. So I thought I'd pass it along. You can also read "My Utmost for His Highest" daily devotionals here.
Lord, I will follow You, but . . . —Luke 9:61
Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of doing something physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit through sheer determination. And the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time you will turn back at the true point of testing, until you are determined to abandon yourself to God in total surrender. Yet we tend to say, “Yes, but— suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?” Or we say, “Yes, I will obey God if what He asks of me doesn’t go against my common sense, but don’t ask me to take a step in the dark.”
Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.
By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ’s statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your findings will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis— only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God.
(From Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost for His Highest" May 30)
Love it! I had started going through this devotional late in the year last year and then I took a break from it during some of our other bible studies...I just picked it up again 2 days ago! I am so looking forward to this summer and just seeing God move in our lives as we decide to seek Him and to really flow Him...even if it does seem crazy! I am so thankful for you!!
ReplyDeleteHi, I started blogging my thoughts while going through this devotional about 8 days ago. I'm blogging (mainly) to hold myself accountable to doing it every day and I post relevent Amazon books as well for spare change (not trying to sell books on your post - I promise).
ReplyDeleteI would love to get some people involved with me and possibly have discussions about what is changing in our lives as we go through the devotional.
Any ideas for improving my blog are welcome too. What do you guys think? Thank you and God Bless.