TODAY'S READING IS FROM the print version of Oswald Chambers Daily Devotional: My Utmost For His Highest -- Date: June 15
In the Matter of Drudgery
You have inherited the Divine nature, says Peter (in 2 Peter 1:4), now screw your attention down and form habits, give diligence, concentrate. “Add” means all that character means. No man is born either naturally or supernaturally with character, he has to make character. Nor are we born with habits; we have to form habits on the basis of the new life God has put into us. We are not meant to be illuminated versions, but the common stuff of ordinary life exhibiting the marvel of the grace of God. Drudgery is the touchstone of character. The great hinderance in spiritual life is that we will look for big things to do. “Jesus took a towel … and begun to wash the disciples’ feet.”
There are times when there is no illumination and no thrill, but just the daily round, the common task. Routine is God’s way of saving us between our times of inspiration. Do not expect God always to give you His thrilling minutes, but learn to live in the domain of drudgery by the power of God.
It is the “adding” that is difficult. We say we do not expect God to carry us to heaven on flowery beds of ease, and yet we act as if we did! The tiniest detail in which I obey has all the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it. If I do my duty, not for duty’s sake, but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very of my obedience the whole superb grace of God is mine through the Atonement.
MARY’S THOUGHTS …
Have you ever looked around and been heart-broken over all the brokenness? How about looking in the mirror – does that typically find you wishing you were someone else? Or somewhere else?
As a believer in Christ you’d think it would be easier for me to ‘walk in newness of Christ’ – but trust me, there are some very dark days where all I can do is drudgingly press on toward the goal to win the heavenly prize of my inheritance as a ‘child of God’. It’s in those dark days when I can choose to allow the enemy dominion over my mind or meditate and read scripture verses like 1 Peter 1:3-9.
Friend, if you’re anything like me God understands where you’ve been and your heart towards wanting to understanding Him to receive His healing and forgiveness. There truly is a better way then living in guilt and shame over your past or the anxiety that comes with fine-tuning our plans for the future. As a believer, I still have instances where the enemy tries to defeat me; whether past, present or future issues, but thankfully when those spiritual attacks occur I’m quick to confess them to God and to my accountability partner – who by the way is a Christian counselor who assists me in Bible memorization.
Remember dear ones, we cannot ‘do battle’ effectively if we’re not equipped for the fight. In this I too must remember that the battle belongs to God, not to Mary. My very best defense is to fight offensively by staying connected with Christ through prayer and Bible reading, then by also loving other people the best I am able through God’s grace.
Finally, I believe I’m also to continue writing to you in these articles both to encourage you and to minister to myself; for I know there’s a part of me which longs for real truth and honesty in Christian authorship. Perhaps one day, God willing, I will tell my story in book form – scars and all. Until then, may the God of all mercies bless you this day lovey — and read your Bible — it’s good for you! Blessings, Mary Budesheim
1 Peter 1:3-9
Praise to God for a Living Hope
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) – Hillsong || https://hillsong.com/
