“That I may know Him.” Phil. 3:10
The initiative of the saint is not towards self-realization, but towards knowing Jesus Christ. The spiritual saint never believes circumstances to be haphazard, or thinks of his life as secular and sacred; he sees everything he is dumped down in as the means of securing the knowledge of Jesus Christ. There is a reckless abandonment abut him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we shall realize Jesus Christ in every domain of life, and He will bring us back to the same point again and again until we do. Self-realization leads to the enthronement of work; whereas the saint enthrones Jesus Christ in his work. Whether it be eating or drinking or washing disciples’ feet, whatever it is, we have to take the initiative of realizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our actual life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial work. “Jesus knowing…that He was come from God…took a towel…and began to wash the disciples’ feet.”
The aim of the spiritual saint is “that I may know Him.” Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am here not to realize myself, but to know Jesus. In Christian work the initiative is too often the realization that something has to be done and I must do it. That is never the attitude of the spiritual saint, his aim is to secure the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances he is in.
– Oswald Chambers
7 Comments
rebecca Jul 12, 2003 10:25 PM
beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. wonderfully put, mr. chambers… this will give me something to chew on for awhile. just wanted to share it with you all!
bethany Jul 12, 2003 11:21 PM
*blows whistle* copyright violation alert!!!
just kidding (hm, working long shifts makes me crazy)
that’s really a lovely quote. thanks for it becca.
sarah Jul 13, 2003 2:25 PM
wow… i need to read that a few more times in order to pound it into memory.
thanks for sharing that great quote, rebecca.
rebecca Jul 13, 2003 5:14 PM
hee, hee. i thought about citing ‘the golden book of oswald chambers: my utmost for his highest’ but decided against it. so that bethany doesn’t make a citizen’s arrest… p.193, dodd, mead & co, 1935. : )
bethany Jul 13, 2003 5:23 PM
aw, dang. i was just getting out my pitchfork and torches and rounding up the villagers, too. sigh.
go back home, folks…no arrests here tonight.
rebecca Jul 13, 2003 8:25 PM
i’m envisioning a beauty and the beast style, copyright-vigilante crowd. ha!
it’s movie weekend. saw ‘you without me’ friday night (two thumbs down), terminator 3 yesterday (two thumbs up) and ‘real women have curves’ this afternoon (one thumb up for the realistic story and lead actress in her first onscreen role).
lindsay Jul 17, 2003 1:20 PM
i saw ‘pirates of the caribbean’ yesterday.
two thumbs up. i know it looks cheesy, but it is actually a pretty good movie. great acting from johnny depp–you should see it just for him.
oh, and might i add that the dashing orlando bloom is also in it?
has anyone else seen it?