Strong calm sanity
In this insane world, one yearns for sane words. Many years ago I found these helpful words of wisdom, and I made a now-fading copy (typed on a real typewriter) and stuck it in my Bible. They are words from a little devotional book that I first discovered in 1984, according to the date inside the cover. The book’s title is My Utmost for His Highest, The Golden Book of Oswald Chambers.
When once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely, we never need sympathy, we can pour out all the time without being pathetic. The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way, because the last abyss of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus. The only impression left by such a life is that of a strong calm sanity that our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.
Such intimacy sounds exceedingly desirable, does it not?
Chambers was born in the Scottish Highlands in 1874 to a typical Victorian couple. He died in 1917 while bringing the hope of the gospel to British soldiers in Egypt. Of him someone once said, “He was the most irreverent Reverend I had ever met!” I think I would have liked him.
Dave, maybe ready for another re-read of MUFHH.
I love Oswald Chambers! I went through it again last year and noted that you and mom gave it to me for Christmas 1985. One of my favorite ideas / quotes is “Prayer doesn’t change things, it changes you.”
“A wonderful thing about God’s silence is that the contagion of His stillness gets into you and you become perfectly confident – ‘I know God has heard me’.” Oct 11th
Not surprisingly I’ve not heard of him, however, he sounds like someone I’d respect and like very much. Thanks to you and Linda for some elegant quotes! Hmmm… might need to look him up.