my utmost

I was reading Oswald Chambers’ (1874-1917) classic devotional, My Utmost for His Highest. The entry for today, June 1, deals with our utter need for God’s grace. I see in it a reminder that nothing we can do or say has any bearing on our ability to be forgiven or to live a life that pleases God. It is His grace alone that accomplishes these things. Chambers confronts our desire to work it all out by our efforts and to attempt to earn the good things that only God can provide.

Below are some excerpts, enjoy:

It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we mistake panic for inspiration. That is why there are so few fellow workers with God and so many workers for Him. We would far rather work for God than believe in Him. Am I quite sure that God will do what I cannot do? I despair of men in the degree in which I have never realized that God has done anything for me. Is my experience such a wonderful realization of God's power and might that I can never despair of anyone I see? Have I had any spiritual work done in me at all? The degree of panic is the degree of the lack of personal spiritual experience.

When God wants to show you what human nature is like apart from Himself, He has to show it you in yourself. If the Spirit of God has given you a vision of what you are apart from the grace of God (and He only does it when His Spirit is at work), you know there is no criminal who is half so bad in actuality as you know yourself to be in possibility. My "grave" has been opened by God and "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing." God's Spirit continually reveals what human nature is like apart from His grace.

Thanks Dr. Chambers, for the reminder. I highly recommend his daily devotional. Thanks to the Father for accomplishing what none of us can apart from Him. I highly recommend His grace.