Are you willing to be completely erased so God’s love can shine through?
Week 23 – Celebrating 100 Years of Oswald Chambers
VERSE: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
OSWALD: “God writes our new name only on those places in our lives where He has erased our pride, self-sufficiency, and self-interest. Some of us have our new name written only in certain spots, like spiritual measles. And in those areas of our lives we look all right. When we are in our best spiritual mood, you would think we were the highest quality saints. But don’t dare look at us when we are not in that mood. A true disciple is one who has his new name written all over him—self-interest, pride, and self-sufficiency have been completely erased.” – (My Utmost for His Highest, June 12th)
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TODAY’S GUEST: I’m excited to have my friend, Tricia Goyer sharing her “My Utmost” insights today. Tricia is a full-time mom and author with a desire to help others fall in love with Jesus! I know you’ll enjoy her inspiring words!
{ Don’t miss the GIVEAWAY at the end of this post! }
How It Spoke to Tricia…
I used to think I was a giving person. I volunteered at our crisis pregnancy center, and I led a teen mom support group. I volunteered in children’s church. I wrote Christian books, and I spoke at conferences. I homeschooled my kids for goodness sake, what could be more selfless than that? But the truth is I chose how to give, what to give, and when to give myself. I set my own schedule. I kept my life in order and maintained comfort. I kept anything and anyone who was too messy at arm’s length.
I allowed Jesus into some parts of my life and heart, and those things (especially homeschooling and working with teen moms) did help to erase pride, self-sufficiency and self-interest. Yet even as I gave so much to God, I knew that on the inside I was holding back. In my quiet time I started to pray, “Lord, please break my heart with the things that break yours.”
I wanted more of Jesus inside than of myself, but even as I prayed I wasn’t truly prepared for where God would lead me. I wanted to become the person God imagined me being—with a name that would reflect His glory—and that took me out of my comfort zone.
Oswald says, “When we are in our best spiritual mood, you would think we were the highest quality saints. But don’t dare look at us when we are not in that mood.”
I thought I was doing great when I had my act together, and I managed everything well, and then God called us to adopt seven children in five years … six of them from childcare. I no longer had pride, because I was completely overwhelmed. I was no longer self-sufficient, because I had to depend on God. I no longer was able to follow my own self-interests … I barely had time to take a shower as I began to parent kids from hard places.
Even though life became hard, my relationship with God grew. I also grew to love my children with a love that came from Him. Christ lived in me and through me, and I became more like Jesus. The new name of “mother” to these kids changed everything. Mostly it helped me to realize that when God called me “daughter” it wasn’t because I was a high quality saint, but because I was His.
When I chose to give my life to God, He led me to hard places. Yet I can honestly say now that the life I choose to live is one I’m living for Him—not myself. And today living for him means loving the kids He’s brought me.
Pray to Him, “Lord, break my heart with the things that break yours. Erase my pride, self-sufficiency, and self-interest. Help me to represent you well.”
Dare to step out of your comfort zone. See yourself as God’s child as you fully begin to understand you are His. Ask Him to cover every part of you.
More About Tricia Goyer
Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of ten, grandmother of two, and wife to John.
A USA Today bestselling author, Tricia has published over 70 books and has written more than 500 articles. She’s well-known for her Big Sky and Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors Amish series.
Be sure to check out Tricia’s most recent book, Walk It Out at http://www.triciagoyer.com/walk-it-out/.
For more information visit Tricia at www.TriciaGoyer.com.
DON’T MISS THE GIVEAWAY!!!
You have the chance to win one of Tricia’s newest books, Walk It Out: The Radical Result of Living God’s Word One Step at a Time.
You can enter the contest two different ways:
- COMMENT – leave a message below
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Do both and we will enter your name into the contest two times! We will randomly choose one winner.
Contest ends Tuesday, June 12th at midnight!
Disclosure: I make a small commission for purchases made through any affiliate links used in this post.
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I’d love to hear from you… What part of your life is God asking you to surrender to Him today?