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Subject: A Review of the book

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

(from the days January 1 to February 22)

(Thur., Oct. 9, 2003)

(approx. 8940 words, 13 pp.)

(or)

The issue? All History hangs in the balance. . . ?

(and)

There are certain classic, bestseller Christian daily spiritual guides or so-called devotionals of 100 years old or more which have become "classics" and "bestsellers" simply because they are so good. And over the last 2000 years there are no doubt a good number of such books which have enjoyed such status and influence. And in our day there are, perhaps, several such books which are so highly esteemed. But, in our time quite possibly many would say at the top of the list for "the all time great daily devotional prayer guide classic" would be My Utmost for His Highest. But, in fact, this particular daily spiritual guide book is not yet a 100 years old.

 No doubt some, even many, consider this the greatest daily devotional classic ever written on living out the Christian life in faith and in the Spirit (whether it really is or it isn't). It was compiled by Oswald Chambers' wife from his lectures, sermons, chapel talks, etc. "Who was Oswald Chambers," you ask? Well, to answer that question, go look in your encyclopedia. Unfortunately, you probably will not find much about him there, and in fact he is not even listed in virtually any dictionary or encyclopedia I own, and I have many. Not a story, not a paragraph, not a line, not even a listing for the man many consider to have written the greatest spiritual book of all time outside the Holy Bible. (My goodness.) Rather obviously the world has no great appreciation for this saint and his great accomplishments even to the point of refusing to acknowledge he ever even existed! This is just bad history even if one does not hold his seemingly unprecedented accomplishments in such high regard?

    My Utmost for His Highest is said to be an annual Christian bestseller to this day (hard as that is even to imagine perhaps). And whether you find yourself reading it every day for the rest of your life or not (as one edition of this book I have says you will), this is an extremely compelling little book (daily spiritual guide) by a Christian author and speaker who lived at the turn of the last century and who died serving in Egypt during World War I at the age of 43 after surgery for a ruptured appendix. It is of course not "holy writ," nor, of course, does it claim to be, but it may just be, indeed in all likelihood in my opinion will be, the most intense book you'll ever read, depending on how well-read you are I suppose. In any case, I would probably give this book a 7, on a scale of 1 to 5?

This is a book by a man who is clearly dedicated to knowing God, serving God, and having God's holy Presence in his life. And the book is in many ways as much about Chambers' personal experiences as it is about his theology. What this means is Chambers is given to making to absolute statements (based on his experiences), which probably should be qualified in some if not many cases, and he is given to using common daily expressions to describe Christian experiences, and this can lead to difficulties because how one defines the nuance of everyday English expressions can radically alter the meaning of a text or at least, again, require greater clarification or qualification. In fact several publishers have realized these problems, more or less, and have put out "updated" versions or editions in "today's language," and in some cases this is quite helpful, though it does not always solve all these problems.

    For example, man's natural "common sense" from a strictly Biblical perspective can and usually is understood quite negatively as self-centered personal advantage. And, hence, a common theme of Chambers is that common sense alone can lead us astray when we try to understand God and His ways and as we learn to trust and follow Him. But I personally find some of these type insights need some qualification because it is not always clear what Chambers means by "common sense" or something like man's natural "reason" etc., and indeed these notions can be confusing Biblically as well since the Bible also talks positively of a common sense or reason in the natural moral law or of a natural revelation in all men. However, spiritual truth can be such that "the natural man" (in a negative sense) does not and cannot understand it. For example, classically the crucifixion for our sins can seem absurd or like "foolishness" to the merely carnal mind (the Bible says or concedes) but in the context of man's fallen condition and the heritage of the law and the atoning sacrifices in Judaism over the centuries and God's covenant revelation to the Jewish people, the atoning crucifixion (for our sins) by Christ is quite "rational," one might say, depending upon how you look at it, as indeed is "the natural law" or "moral order" of existence, etc.

On clearing up some confusions . . .

So, it is not always clear in the Bible or in Chambers what natural man or common sense refers to. The Bible says, "The natural man does not understand the things of God" (nor can he) and so forth. However, there is also in the Bible, and to some degree in Chambers a natural common sense which refers to natural God-given revelation in every man of the natural moral law in our hearts, and so forth, which is said to be left from the fall or just simply put there in our hearts by God in the very nature of fallen man. But even this natural conscience can be seared by selfish sin. In any case, in this sense, common sense or natural man is usually understood very positively as having a "natural" (God-given) conscience, which can be, however, deceived, distorted, seared, etc. So, if the Bible, let alone Chambers, makes a blanket absolute statement about natural man or, say, common sense, it is not always clear which one of these two ideas is being referred to, and to complicate matters even further for Chambers, who is addressing Christians, for the Christian the "supernatural" or "spiritual" is supposed to be the "given" or "natural thing," and Chambers even in one place points this out. But this can make for even greater confusion. You might say what is "natural" for the old man, is "un-natural" for the new man, and vice versa.

    And in some ways this is not just a Christian regeneration truth but a naturalistic truth as well in a slightly different manner. Socrates said "the un-examined life is not worth living," and he meant by this the life without moral virtue. The idea is if you have not had the "natural" or "rational" realization that moral virtue is the point of life, then you have missed the "natural" point of life (for Socrates, Aristotle and similar classical thinkers). But, of course the source of all true (moral) good is God, Who has explicitly, not naturalistically, revealed Himself in covenant to Abraham, Moses, and the Jewish people and in later times in Christ in order to deal with our naturally fallen condition and our reconciliation problem with God and His Justice and holy Righteousness, etc.

In any case, the point here is one needs to be careful when reading or using this book that one does not take one particular categorical statement (experiential or theological) out of context and invest one's entire Christian theology and experience in it. But ultimately it is the penetrating insights and categorical type statements that give the book its force and effectiveness in pointing out very real truths, pitfalls, and experiences in the Christian life. Chambers makes your average radio talk show host look like a pussycat. There is quite a bit of "Now let me tell you what I really think" in this book, and Chambers does, and I am not always sure Chambers completely hits the bull's eye, but without question Chambers does not give a rip what you think as the reader. But without question Mr. Chambers has one concern and one concern only, namely, "My Utmost for His Highest."

I think the best way to deal with this book for this review (and as I use it myself personally) is in terms of "spiritual insights" and "one-liners," (or 2 or 3 liners, as the case may be). An overview sample of them will give you the flavor of the book and of this man's interesting, at times even incredible insights into the nature of the Christian life and faith and the experience of trusting or abiding in God in all that we do by living or being sanctified "in the Spirit." In my reading of this book with its 366 entries, I usually find in each day's reading a particular truth which hits home to me personally and is very well expressed, though it is not always exactly on what the exact theme or Scripture quote of that day is (it seems to me anyway).

    All quotes used in this review are from the original-edition version unless the modern-updated version is so indicated. I enjoy both and at times find the modern version with the NIV Bible translation to be quite helpful. There are themes that reappear throughout the text, and there are specific ideas he develops through the course of the year (in effect) in his particular understanding or explanation of the Christian life as the book progresses. Many copies of this book also have an index, which at times at least, can be useful for cross reference.

In a bigger sense what Chambers is doing more generally is almost asking, Is "this" (that is, whatever practical or theological truth he is discussing) the practical nature and reality of trusting in God, and abiding in his Spirit, etc., for the true "born-again" believer, or is it not? And of course each day's reading is based on a particular Scripture passage, as is usually the case in this type of work. Practically speaking you might say this is about the practical nuts and bolts of being a believer from Chambers' experience, but also it is about the challenge, and fulfillment of being a believer, and the profound experience of God in the depths of our souls in our being new creatures with new Life in God and with an indwelling holy Spirit in our hearts.

    Below are some quotes from many of the days from January 1 to February 22. Again, for this reviewer each day's commentary on a particular scripture passage usually has 1 or 2 or 3 sentences which almost jump off the page as the central truth or truths of that day. (Quite possibly, for you from a different perspective, something else may seem of greater importance, but these are some of the nuggets which I found in the text.)

The book is not really a progression of themes exactly, but it does take different ideas and develop them from different perspectives as the year progresses, and it puts certain themes aside and comes back to them later and so forth. (I think, a word search would be more helpful than the standard index which comes with most editions of this book.) In any case, January 1 starts right off the bat with the decision to follow Christ, or no. We are called into God's Kingdom (right here, right now, on planet earth, if we are Christians), and we are to do everything to God's glory, as stated in, say, 1 Thes. 2:12 where we are admonished to walk or live worthy of God who has called us into His Kingdom and glory, again, right here and now. Simple enough.

    Chambers does not cite a particular passage as such (as best this reviewer can tell) but rather gives a general presumed intention of Paul as he understands Paul admonitions and determination of will to be throughout the New Testament, that is, in Chambers' understanding of Paul, it is a "My Utmost for his Highest" which Paul exhibited, and Chambers wishes to as well. To follow Christ for Chambers is an act of the (free) will, and we either make it, or we do not. Chambers is pretty (so-called) Calvinistic generally speaking (I would say) but not on this foundational point, one might argue. Our life is pretty much a "Choose you this day whom you will follow," as Moses said to the Israelites. Chambers says, profoundly, "An undue amount of thought and consideration for ourselves is what keeps us from making that decision (of the will to follow Christ completely), although we cover it up with the pretense that it is others we are considering." (Updated version) This is good example of Chambers categorical language, in my view. We sometimes or frequently use that "pretense" (as an excuse) not to follow Christ I would say, but not always. On the other hand, almost definitely, without question it is usually, "An undue amount of thought and consideration for ourselves is what keeps us from making that (right) decision (for Christ)."

    Chambers concludes January 1 by saying, "He [God] brings us to the place where He asks us to be our utmost for Him, and we begin to debate; then He produces a providential crisis where we have to decide-- for or against, and from that point (onward, from that crossroads), the Great Divide (in our lives) begins. If (such a crisis) has come to you on any (point in your life), surrender your will to Him absolutely and irrevocably." (part of this quote is from the updated version) In any case, again, frequently God works through such crises to win us to Himself, but certainly not always? Just the hard cases among us? This can be just as the call to the ministry, as such, or as the call to Jonah. Some people are delighted to hear the call, some people are not so excited, and in fact all things considered had "other plans," so to speak? Still, Chambers' insights are profound and convicting. I personally see Chambers saying on 'day one' of the year that our decision will cost us everything, and I guess he figures there is no reason to sugarcoat the message. And one must assume many people will not get past 'day one,' January the first. But for those who do, we will continue.

On January 2nd, as the new year begins, Chambers asks, "Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what he is going to do; He reveals to you who He is." And indeed this inevitably is why we all must live a life of faith, is it not? We really do not know what tomorrow holds. Still, this is another one of those profound insights that has a little too much categorical quality for this reviewer, I must say, and I think any serious Christian would tend to say they have (at times) had God reveal pretty much what is going to happen in some given situation, and it is not always too good. ("This is not going to end well," etc.) Still the insight here by Chambers is right on target of course categorically speaking as a part of the human condition generally and God's dealing with us. Again, we really do not know what tomorrow holds, and God generally does not reveal the future, except in the broadest prophetic or wisdom details, though clearly He knows the future, and we are to trust Him for it on a daily basis, and clearly as Chambers says ultimately the goal of the Christian life is to know God and enjoy Him forever (and not to divine the future), and of course God's goal is to have fellowship with us and to re-make or restore us in our fallen condition as, say, Romans 8:28-29 says. (This is not always a painless process, especially when we have too many of our "own plans" or "ideas"?)

     On January 3 Chambers says God actually speaks to us in words (no less), which is what the Bible is, you'll note, but as Chambers points unless your heart is illuminated by the light of God with born-again understanding, it does not really communicate with you. Chambers says, "The only possibility of understanding the teaching of Jesus [God, the Bible, etc.] is by the light of the Spirit of God on the inside . . (when) God speaks to us, (it is) not by visions and dreams, but by words" of understanding, insight, etc. Still, on January 4th Mr. Chambers gets into a somewhat common theme and one that he develops at various times in the book of having so-called "checks" in our spirit man. This is when God puts a check in our spirit or soul, by saying, "just don't do that" with a strong experiential sense that one cannot explain. Chambers even goes so far as to say, "Whenever there is doubt-- don't." The updated version is probably better in saying, "Whenever there is doubt-- wait." Here the updated version is clearly better I think especially given what Chambers says next with such profound insight: "In the beginning [of your Christian life or of a situation, etc.] you may see clearly what God's will is-- the severance of a friendship, the breaking off of a business relationship, something you feel distinctly before God is His will for you to do, [but] never do it [simply] on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will [or may (please, Mr. Chambers)] end in making difficulties that will take years of time to put right. Wait for God's time to bring it round and He will do it without any heartbreak or disappointment. When it is a question of the providential will of God, wait for God to move!" [bracketed comments and the final exclamation mark are added]

Receiving the Spirit, the Christian Life, sin, and sanctification

Chambers sees the point of the Christian faith is to receive the holy Spirit into our lives and to have a complete sanctification in Him by the spiritual reality of God's holy Presence, as it were. The following one-liners are from January 6 thru 9.

    (1-6) "The measure of the worth of public activity for God is the private profound communion we have with Him. . . There are not three stages in spiritual life-- worship, waiting, and work. . . God's idea is that the three should go together."

    (1-7) "Friendship is rare on earth. It means identity in thought and heart and spirit. The whole discipline of life is to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ." Chambers then asks: "We receive His blessings and know His word (and truth) but do we know Him (in our spirit)?"

    (1-8) Sin separates us from God, simple enough. Chambers says of this: "God nowhere tells us to give up things for the sake of giving them up, He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having-- namely, Life with Himself." This is what Chambers says, but we could add I think 'OR, to give things up for the harm these things will do us'! So, 'yes and no' to this point by Chambers? Some things are just harmful and hurtful in themselves, no? Indeed most all sin or immorality is this way by its very nature, is it not? That is, besides violating our spiritual fellowship with God.

    (1-9) Chambers returns again and again to the idea of our complete sanctification (or one might better say the completeness (in our soul) in sanctification) when the Spirit comes in and cleanses us IF (and when?!) we walk in the light as He is in the light! This is a profoundly deep and satisfying experience of God in our spirits and souls and a sense of completeness or "perfection" in our being by God's totally sanctifying Presence Chambers says, and I think correctly. ('Sweet hour of prayer,' as the expression goes.) And for Chambers this is where you re-charge your batteries so to speak for life's daily battles, duties, and responsibilities, and something we are to take with us, as it were, and "walk" with. Chambers writes the following of our being completely sanctified and cleansed from sin: "Cleansing from sin is to the very heights and depths of our spirit IF we will keep in the light as God is in the light, and the very Spirit that fed the life of Jesus Christ will feed the life of our spirits. It is only when we are garrisoned by God with the stupendous sanctity of the Holy Spirit, that spirit, soul and body are preserved in unspotted integrity, undeserving of censure in God's sight, until Jesus comes." (italics and IF caps added) Chambers then concludes this day's thoughts with something of an understatement: "We do not allow our minds to dwell as they should on these great massive truths of God." (Really?)

(1-10) "The only sign that a man (or woman) is saved is that he has received something from Jesus Christ.. . .I do not think it is too sweeping to say that the majority of nominal Christians are of this order: their eyes are opened, but they have received nothing?"

What does discipleship 'cost'? In a clever twist, Chambers says, "Nothing!" (1-11) "If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything, it is a delight, but it costs those who do not love Him a good deal."  In a seemingly unrelated comment Chambers goes on to say, "Stagnation in spiritual life comes when we say we will bear the whole thing ourselves. We cannot."  Is this true? At times presumably, but what does it have to do with the earlier point?  I'm not sure. (Did his wife doze off for awhile or something?) It is "frustration," not so much "stagnation," which comes from following our own lights too closely?

(1-12) "Other lives are parables, 'but God requires us to examine our own souls'." (updated edition) Chambers goes on, "It is slow work, so slow that it takes God all time and eternity to make a man or woman after His own purpose." Chambers then comments, "It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We do not know envy (in ourselves) when we see it, or laziness, or pride." And Chambers' final insult in all of this is: "We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves, it is the last conceit to go. The only One Who understands us is God." Then he says we are even unworthy to say we are unworthy or to so judge ourselves, etc. Sometimes Chambers is almost cruel I think. Chambers says that God has to get us alone to reveal things to us about our desires and affections and He can or will use disappointment, heartbreak, or whatever it takes.

God sometimes says, "May I have your attention, please!"

(1-13) Chambers continues the same theme of the 12th on the 13th: "When God gets us alone by affliction, heartbreak, or temptation, by disappointment, sickness, or by thwarted affection, by a broken friendship, or by a new friendship-- when he gets us absolutely alone, and we are dumbfounded, and cannot ask one question, then He begins to expound." Is it not interesting that in this list of heartbreaks Chambers put in only one 'good' thing, namely, "new friendship." Presumably, such is the effect a new friendship can have on us?

(1-14) Chambers quotes a well-known Bible passage, "Many are called but few are chosen." and comments on it, "that is," he says, "prove themselves the chosen ones. The chosen ones are those who have come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ whereby their disposition has been altered and their ears unstopped, and they hear the still small voice questioning all the time, 'Who will go for us?'" Those who truly hear this "still small voice" are the true "chosen ones" for Chambers.

(1-15) "No one enters into the experience of entire sanctification without going through a 'white funeral'-- the burial of the old life." Chambers then quotes the scripture which says "This is the will of God, even your (complete) sanctification." He goes on to comment as if nothing could be more obvious: "When you realize what the will of God is (your complete sanctification), you will enter into (total) sanctification as naturally as can be." It has been this writer's experience and observation that few Bible teachers hold this view. (Wesley did, I do believe though he did not say it was "easy as can be," no? Who is right here? Wesley? Chambers? Or your average Bible teacher?)

(1-16) Chambers seems to think the problem is our 'ears.' He writes: "The majority of us have no ear for anything but ourselves, we cannot hear a thing God says." "But," he adds, "to be brought to the place where we can hear the call of God is to be profoundly changed." (updated version, and a slight understatement?)

(1-17) "Service becomes a natural part of my life. God brings me into proper relationship with Himself so that I can understand His call, and then I serve Him on my own out of a motivation of absolute love." (updated version) Chambers concludes this day's reading with" "The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and I serve Him in ordinary ways of life out of devotion to Him." Rather obviously, it is in "ordinary" activities for Chambers and not grand "religious" service that we know serve and God. Still, ultimately what Chambers sees to be at stake in living the faith is God's will in history and not just His will in our personal daily lives, affairs, walk or calling.

(1-18) "We are not sent to battle for God, but to be used by God in His battlings." (italics added) Chambers then asks, "Are we being more devoted to service than to Jesus Christ?" Of course, we might add, "God in His battlings" always has the bigger picture in mind for our lives personally, the Kingdom, history, and His plans for mankind generally to restore our fallen condition and to end the deception and rule of unrighteousness, injustice, and evil on earth.

Chambers says, (1-19): "The one thing for which we are all being disciplined is to know that God is real." Or, is it really, Mr. Chambers, to know, as Jesus said, God's Kingdom is at hand? Truly? Maybe? Or, are these one and the same?

(1-20 ) "Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Chambers quotes this well-known passage and says, "Being born of the Spirit is an unmistakable work of God, as mysterious as the wind, as surprising as God Himself. . . Being born again from above is a perennial, perpetual, and eternal beginning; a freshness all the time in thinking and in talking and in living, the continual surprise of the life of God. . . Freshness does not come from obedience (as such)" Chambers says, "but from the Holy Spirit," but he adds, "obedience keeps us in the light as God is in the light." Perhaps some of this has too fine an edge to it and is overly qualified, but without question, if you walk in the dark, you are going to stumble and may even fall down entirely? (O, the heartbreak?)

(1-21) Clearly Chambers puts much of his own twist on the Christian life, and he usually hits pretty much right on target? He asks, for example, "Am I as full of the extravagance of love to Jesus Christ as I was in the beginning, when I went out of my way to prove my devotion to Him? Does He find me recalling the time when I did not care for anything but Himself? Am I there now, or have I become (so-called) 'wise' about loving Him?" Chambers goes on to ask, "Am I so in love with Him that I take no thought for where He might lead me? Or am I watching to see how much respect I get as I measure how much service I should give Him?" (updated version)

(1-22 ) "Troubles nearly always make us look to God; His blessing are apt to make us look elsewhere." Say it ain't so, Mr. Chambers! This can't be true? Or, in fact, does Chambers hit the bull's eye here again?

(1-23) "The rush of other things always tends to obscure (a) concentration on God. . . (but) let other things come and go as they may, let other people criticize as they will, but never allow anything to obscure the life that is hid (in you) with Christ in God."

(1-24 ) "When we are born again we all have visions, if we are spiritual at all, of what Jesus wants us to be, and the great thing is to learn not to be disobedient to the vision, not to say that it cannot be attained. It is not sufficient to know that God has redeemed the world, and to know that the holy Spirit can make all that Jesus did effectual in me; I must have the basis of a personal relationship to Him. . . Paul (for example) was devoted to a Person, not to a cause."

(1-25 ) Chambers chides us, "Do not look for God to come in a particular way, but look for Him. That is the way to make room for Him."

Take root, don't worry, stay focused. . .

(1-26) "Many of us refuse to grow where we are put, consequently we take root nowhere. Jesus says if we obey the life God has given us, He will look after all the other things. Has Christ told us a lie? . . . How much time have we taken up worrying God with questions when we should have been absolutely free to concentrate on His work? Consecration means the continual separating of myself to one particular thing."

(1-27) "A warning which needs to be reiterated is that the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in, will choke all that God puts in. We are never free from the reoccurring tides of this encroachment. If it does not come on the line (of attack) of clothes and food, it will come on the line (of attack) of money or lack of money; of friends or lack of friends; or on the line of difficult circumstances. It is one steady encroachment all the time, and unless we allow the Spirit of God to raise up like a standard against it, these things will come in like a flood." The italics are added in this quote to the word "never." I think Chambers' point is we can always worry about something if we have a mind to. Jesus even spoke of the inevitable cares of this world, as it were, choking out God as much as sin, specifically.

(1-28) "Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set upon our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus. . . All I do ought to be founded on a 'perfect oneness' with Him, not (merely) on a self-willed determination to be godly." (One probably needs a theology and/or experience of possible "perfect oneness" to follow this advice?)

Do your duty, never fail. . . .

(1-29) "We imagine that whatever is unpleasant is our duty! Is that anything like the spirit of our Lord- - 'I delight to do Thy will, O My God'." Biblically, of course, we delight in God and He delights in his relationship with us! But satan comes to kill, to rob and destroy. (What's new in The Universe Times?)

(1-30) Here are some very true words? "Nothing touches our lives but it is God Himself speaking. Do we discern His hand or only mere occurrence?" Of course, one can go too far here and be anxious for everything, as it were, but still Chambers' point is to see God's providential hand in life as a normal or daily or on-going reality, and it certainly is, is it not? Chambers even goes on to say, "Get into the habit of saying, 'Speak, Lord,' and Life (in the faith) will become a romance." (If it doesn't, send the book back to the publisher for a full refund? Simple enough?)

The Gospel is the point . . . the whole point of Life. . .

(1-31) "Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the Gospel of God. The one thing that is all important is that the Gospel of God should be realized as the abiding Reality. Reality is not (mere) human goodness, nor holiness, nor heaven, nor hell; but Redemption; and the need to perceive this is the most vital need of the Christian worker today." The key Chambers seems to think is focusing on God, not ourselves. He even goes on to say, "God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character." Of Paul, Chambers writes on the following day (2-1): "The one passion of Paul's life was to proclaim the Gospel of God. He welcomed heartbreaks, disillusionments, tribulation, for one reason only, because those things kept him in unmoved devotion to the Gospel of God." Chambers sees the proclamation of the Gospel, as such, to be almost to the exclusion of preaching sanctification, moral virtue, deliverance, and so forth and this is probably going a little too far to make a point, just as Paul did in saying, "I preach only Christ and Christ crucified." Paul also makes a similar point when he says (Col. 1:27), "Christ in us" is "the hope of glory". Chambers says on this same theme (2-3): "The marvel of the Redemptive Reality of God is that the worst and vilest can never get to the bottom of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him (from his brethren for prayer) to show what a wonderful man He could make of him (etc.), but (rather Paul said) 'to reveal His Son in me'."

(2-4) "'The love of Christ compels us. . . ' When you hear that coming from the life of a man or woman it is unmistakable. . . There is only one thing he (Paul) lived for-- to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of 'the love of Christ.' This total surrender to 'the love of Christ' is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. And it will always leave the mark of God's holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness." (updated version)

(2-5) Still, Chambers often chides as well as encourages his reader or in fact his listener, since these were originally mostly chapel talks. He says, "Some saints cannot do menial work while maintaining a saintly attitude, because they feel such service is beneath their dignity." (updated version) Chambers, of course, advocates the opposite perspective on serving God, totally and completely. He says as an act of conscious (free) will offer yourself to God and see what happens. He says (2-6), "I am ready to be offered. (This) is a transaction of will, not of sentiment. Tell God you are ready to be offered; then let the consequences be what they may, there is no strand (or shred) of complaint now, no matter what God chooses. God puts you through the crisis in private, no one person can help another. . . see that you do not give way to self-pity when the fire begins. After this way of fire, there is nothing that oppresses or depresses." There is much truth to this all no doubt; still "God tempts no man," let us not forget. Chambers concludes this lesson with a remarkable and I think very true claim: "Tell God you are ready to be offered, and God will prove Himself to be all you ever dreamed He would be." You might even say from a human perspective, what more could we ask for? Still, Chambers never gets overly religious or spiritual, etc.  He says finding God, our calling and duty are primarily in the commonplace. (2-7) "We look for visions from heaven. . .we never dream that all the time God is in the commonplace things and people around us. If we will do the duty that lies nearest, we shall see Him."

Before sanctification cost 'nothing'! Now it is 'everything'!

Before in an earlier quote sanctification cost 'nothing'! Now it costs 'everything'! (Make up your mind, please, Mr. Chambers!) That is, it costs everything "that is not of God in us." Chambers says (2-8), "Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the disposition (of the Spirit) that ruled Him will rule us. Are we prepared for what that will cost us? It will cost us everything that is not of God in us." Chambers says that the key to staying strong and fresh in the Spirit is to constantly go back to the well (as it were) for refreshing. (2-9) "Exhaustion means that the vital forces are worn right out. Spiritual exhaustion never comes through sin [maybe, maybe not? I'd say] but (generally) only through service." Chambers goes on a few sentences later to develop this idea by saying, "Be careful that you get your supply (regularly from God) or before long you will be utterly exhausted. . . Continually go back to the foundation of your affections and recollect where the source of power is."

(2-10) This next one-liner pulled from the text is not exactly a "theological truth" but more a practical insight with a good bit of truth to it (if not categorically true)? "The test of spiritual concentration is bringing the imagination into captivity."

(2-11) "Learn to associate ideas worthy of God with all that happens in Nature--- the sunrises and the sunsets, the sun and the stars, the changing seasons, and your imagination will never be at the mercy of your impulses, but will always be at the service of God." Again, this is more a practical experiential insight of Chambers than a "theological truth," and no doubt it should have some practical or theoretical qualifications of some sort, but how powerful Chambers' insights are on the daily and even continual living of faith in God's provision. Still, Chambers rarely speaks of "Nature" as such as he does in this passage. He is more prone to speak of our responding (or not responding) directly to God Himself as in the next quote below from the following day.

(2-12) "We (as believers, generally) do not consciously disobey God, we simply do not heed Him." I think this is another practical truth or insight by Chambers, and it is called "grieving the Spirit" in the Bible, and in excess it leads to sin and a falling away. We can perhaps be overly sensitive to promptings (again, 'anxious about everything,' as it were) but certainly the Spirit will put certain "checks" on us in our soul at times that we would be wise, wise indeed, to heed! And this ('checks') is a big theme in Chambers and contemporary evangelical Christianity of course, and an important one.

    But, in truth the larger Christian goal (as Peter admonishes us in 2 Peter 3:14-18) is to "grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord", and in that passage Peter says that we can fall from our "secure position" spiritually by being led away by false spiritual teachers of lawlessness (as much as not heeding the true Spirit, one might say). Obviously times have not changed very much in 2000 years with false teachers (nor with not heeding the Holy Spirit)?! But how do we listen to the true still small Voice of the Lord on a regular or daily basis or simply to His confirming Peace in our hearts? Is not Chambers something of a "spiritual guide" of sorts to lead us into the Spirit or at least to allow the Spirit's controlling and empowering Presence in our lives?

(2-13) Chambers notes "Because I have listened definitely to one thing from God, it does not follow that I will listen to everything that he says. . . The destiny of my spiritual life is such identification with Jesus Christ that I always hear God, and I know that God always hears me (John 11:41)." Chambers then goes on to ask himself: "Have I heard God's voice today?" You could almost close the book and go home at this point, but must one ask, 'How do we know the sure voice of God in our hearts?' Only through serious prayer, presumably? Interestingly, Chambers also speaks of the spiritual "friendship" of Jesus in this day's reading, so it is obviously a post true salvation experience he refers to in this prayerful seeking of God's will?

(2-14) Still, Chambers also says in the very next reading, "At times. . .We are put into the shadow of God's hand until we learn how to hear Him. . [when] God puts you into darkness. . keep your mouth shut. . If you talk to other people, you cannot hear what God is saying."  My Goodness. But Chambers goes on to say, "When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else when you get into the light."

(2-15) Chambers on this day asks a very unusual and penetrating question of his reader: "Has it ever dawned on you that you are responsible for other souls spiritually before God?"

(2-16) On this day we, again, find more practical and experiential spirituality than we find theological truth, as such, and again it has much truth to it no doubt, even if it is not, again, categorically or absolutely true. Chambers says: "All initiative is not inspired. . . We all have any number of visions and ideals when we are young, but sooner or later we find that we have no power to make them real. . . The remarkable thing about spiritual initiative is that the life comes after we do the 'bucking up,' God does not give us overcoming life; He gives us life as we overcome." Chambers then adds, when God says, "'Arise'. . . we have to get up; God does not lift us up." Not exactly a "God helps those who help themselves," but something of a God helps his saints as they step out to his call to "help themselves" (as it were) or to help others or to fulfill their God-given dreams, etc. Give your son this day's reading at 14 or 16, and this one set of insights alone could save him from years of possible heartache or "failure," or at least it might just give anyone the key to successful "initiative" in the difficulties of this sometimes tumultuous earthly existence?

(2-17 to 2-22) What Chambers is really doing (in this book) is looking at life from the viewpoint of faith, salvation and trusting and experiencing God in practical and daily even on-going ways. In the next 6 days after 2-16 he develops the theme of responding to God's call to "Arise" from the most mundane and ordinary ways even to our highest calling and duty to the point of complete or "perfect" fulfillment and satisfaction. On depression from a spiritual point of view he says, "If we were never depressed, we should not be alive. . . A human being is capable of depression, otherwise there would be no capacity for exaltation. . . When the Spirit comes He does not give us visions, He tells us to do the most ordinary things conceivable (as "get up," "eat," etc.)." "The inspiration is to do the most natural simple things--- the things we would never have imagined God was in, and as we do them we find He is there. . . we have to 'do the next thing' and do it in the inspiration of God." Chambers even thinks depression does not go if we do the next thing simply to relieve depression, rather it is our response to our duty or calling before God that lifts the veil, as it were. (But, again, he may be putting too fine an edge on this?)

    But what is or can be very central to our lives and potentially the cause of much grief and heartbreak is we sometimes miss quite significant (not ordinary) opportunities or can think we have. Chambers says, "It is a very ordinary human experience [that] whenever we realize that we have not done that which we had a magnificent opportunity of doing, then we are apt to sink into despair." Of course such missed opportunities can be quite real or they can be imaginary fears. Still, Chambers goes on to say quite rightly, "Never let a sense of failure corrupt your new action." Truer words have never been spoken whether the supposed "failure" is real or important, or not?

    Still, it is in the ordinary, daily activities of life where Chambers thinks we most find God, and one could add most miss seeing God?! Chambers writes (on 2-19): "Whenever God inspires, the initiative is always a moral one. We must do the thing and not be like a log. If we will arise and shine, drudgery becomes divinely transfigured. Drudgery is one of the finest touchstones of character there is." (italics added) Chambers further comments, "It requires the inspiration of God to go through the drudgery with the light of God upon it." We might even say, at some point life may not even be so-called "drudgery"?! (That's the point, is it not?) Regardless, the key for Chambers generally seems to be "action" (not contemplation) whether everyday action, or "great" and "noble." He says, "Dreaming about a thing in order to do it properly is right; but dreaming about it when we should be doing it is wrong. . . Dreaming after God has spoken is an indication that we do not trust Him." "Tenacity is more than endurance, it is endurance combined with the absolute certainty that what we are looking for is going to transpire." Clearly this is a type of faith in God in the larger or even historical order of things, you might say, and this leads into possibly the high point of the book in the ideas of 2-22.

One of the high-point insights in My Utmost for his Highest is in the 2-22 reading when Chambers says, "There is nothing noble the human mind has ever hoped for or dreamed of that will not be fulfilled." And with profound insight he says of the true Christian, "The greatest fear a man has is not that he will be damned, but that Jesus Christ will be worsted, that the things He stood for (in history)-- love and justice and forgiveness and kindness among men-- will not win out in the end." My Goodness, is this the true believer's "greatest fear" . . the one great issue or fear of life? Is this possibly true? The greatest fear of the true or real believer is the Good, the Right, and the True do not prevail on earth in Kingdom Reality? Quite possibly it is, but Chambers continues quickly by saying that after this 'fear,' "then comes the call to spiritual tenacity, not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately on the certainty that God is not going to be worsted." I guess we could say "in the big picture"? Or even "in history," so to speak, the Kingdom Truths and Reality of God's truth, justice and righteousness will prevail, will they not?!

    So, not to worry, Mr. Chambers! Christ will win out, I think (and not be "worsted" to use your word here). Will the forces of true light and good be victorious over the forces of darkness and deception? No problem. (But I will admit it may have looked touch and go a few times in the last 2000 years?)  In any event, in a later review (Lord willing) we will look at what follows in selections from the days after February 22. In the meantime we request of our dear readers that you, as Mr. Chambers would say (I think we may presume), "Continue to persevere in the Lord, please, with spiritual tenacity."

Conclusion Postscript

These lines from 2-22 are perhaps the high point of the book, but there are others which may equal and in their own way excel these insights on the nature of God's plan for man, our personal faith, and the human condition in history. And, again, to these other peak points we will ascend another time. . .Lord willing, but in conclusion here I think what Mr. Chambers does with this book in the bigger picture is establish on a very real and practical level the reality of the Christian faith walk or experience based upon God's plan and purpose in the redeeming work of Christ whether in the Kingdom as an historical world ("1000 year") reality of truth, justice, and righteousness on earth or just as a practical spiritual reality in our own lives by the Presence of God's Spirit on an on-going or daily basis. There is to be sure, much evil in the world today, but if you stop and think about it, it is essentially a problem of "unbelief," is it not? Are you a believer? Is there a God? Did He send His Son to die on the cross for our sins? Did Jesus rise again? Do you really have to believe it for yourself personally to be reconciled to God and born again of the Spirit and to so receive God's Spirit into your life? (etc.) These are really very simple questions when you stop and think about them, but if true, they could change the spiritual reality and practical nature of the human condition and the world dramatically, could they not? They could even, potentially, usher in the Kingdom Age? "No way," you say? Or, perhaps, you think, "Most definitely!" I guess it is mostly a matter of whether we are really "believers" or not? "Will the believers (in these fundamentals of the faith) win?" Indeed they will, no? And this answers a 100 year old very infamous question, does it not?

    In any case, it is this writer's personal opinion that the Devil's time on earth is drawing to a close, and he knows it (so the Bible says in Rev 12:12, for example), and thus, he is fighting more fiercely than ever to deceive people and the nations with injustice, unrighteousness, temptation, hatred, murder, immorality, greed, cruelties, etc., and really with just plain foolishness when you get right down to it? In fact most people will believe almost anything these days rather than that God's Truth, Justice and Righteousness will prevail and that His plans and purposes for man's Good will win right here on terra firma (as the expression goes)? But, of course, most people do not believe in Christian regeneration (or, that is, re-birth) nor in Christian salvation (that is, reconciliation)? But Chambers seems to think for some reason this is all almost a package deal of some sort in Christ's not being "worsted" in history or, that is, in the big scheme of things in God's plan for mankind, you might say?