Thursday Thoughts - more from Oswald Chambers

WHAT MY OBEDIENCE TO GOD COSTS OTHER PEOPLE

I remember the first time this thought ever crossed my mind: after watching a drama re-enacting the life of Adoniram Judson entitled "The Cost of Greatness" - that is, greatness in the eye of God. I had promised the Lord as a young girl that I would serve Him as a missionary and I never really wavered from that promise for myself. But watching the story of Adoniram Judson's life was the first time that I realized that my obedience might also cost those I love, those I would never want to see hurt, and that it might cost them even more than I could imagine.

I think that is why this particular devotional has always touched me...

"They laid hold upon one Simon . . . and on him they laid the cross." Luke xxiii. 26.

If we obey God it is going to cost other people, more than it costs us, and that is where the sting comes in. 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. If we obey God it will mean that other people's plans are upset, and the will gibe us with it - "You call this Christianity?" We can prevent the suffering; but if we are going to obey God, we must not prevent it, we must let the cost be paid.

Our human pride entrenches itself on this point, and we say - I will never accept anything from anyone. We shall have to, or disobey God. We have no right to expect to be in any other relation than our Lord Himself was in (see Luke viii. 2-3).

Stagnation in spiritual life comes when we say we will bear the whole thing ourselves. We cannot. We are so involved in the universal purposes of God that immediately we obey God, others are affected. Are we going to remain loyal in our obedience to God and go through the huiliation of refusing to be independent, or are we going to take the other line and say - I will not cost other people suffering? We can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but we shall be a grief to our Lord. Whereas if we obey God, He will look after those who have been pressed into the consequences of our obedience. We have simply to obey and to leave all consequences with Him.

Beware of the inclination to dictate to God as to what you will allow to happen if you obey Him.

PLEASE NOTE:

Devotional taken from Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest, January 11.

"The Cost of Greatness" is the second of 2 plays often performed by the Academy of Arts Christian School recounting the life of Adoniram Judson. If you'd like to find out more about the Academy, check out their website.