Earlier this week I read a devotional by Oswald Chambers. He is my favorite writer, of my second favorite book, “Utmost for His Highest,” which I have been reading for about nine years. The devotional was incredibly special because it took me along a path of so many of my favorite verses and passages in God’s Word.
Chambers reminded me that there are times when the life of a Christian can be difficult, and sometimes life can be pure drudgery. As I read the devotional I realized that life could be as prickly as a bull thistle, but God knows this. He knows that the life of a Christian is not always easy, but He will get us through it. I like how Oswald Chambers put it.
“We are not meant to be seen as God’s perfect, bright-shining examples, but to be seen as the everyday essence of ordinary life exhibiting the miracle of His grace.”
“Utmost for His Highest,” Oswald Chambers, June 15, Devotional.
As I mull over that quote, I am humbled by the power of the message. We are not special in our own right. We are ordinary men and women living regular and sometimes dull lives, but as believers, we have received this glorious gift of eternal life with God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, no matter how mundane, annoying, confusing, or frustrating the drudgery of life might be, the challenges will pass. Even that Bull Thistle we got caught up in will pass. God gives us assurance and comfort in His Word.
Three passages come to mind instantly for me as I read that quote from Chambers. The first was in James.
James 1
James begins with this verse that rocks new Christians back on their heels (at least it did me), and truth be told, probably some not so new Christians as well. It took a while for me to come to terms with it. It begins in the second verse of chapter 1
James 1:2-4 (ESV)
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
I think like most people; when I read this passage, I did not understand how I could be joyful in my trials. I had a less than pleasant boss to work for, and he tested my patience. I was always under a time crunch, and I seemed never to have enough of it. It was hard for me to count those circumstances all joy at the time. I just could not see it, but God helped me through it, and He used His Word to do it, like this one passage from 2Corinthians.
2 Corinthians 4
Second Corinthians chapter four is one of those chapters that is always helpful. When I was going through some of my most challenging struggles, God was there for me in these powerful words…words that taught me to believe in James 1:2-4 and be prepared for other trials.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV)
17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
I read these verses, and it is as if a weight is lifted from my heart. The burdens of this world no longer weigh me down. The reality of my responsibilities is still there, but they are no longer an anchor or load too heavy to carry.
There is one more that is straight from Jesus.
Matthew 11
This third verse may be my favorite. It is the offer Jesus makes at the end of Matthew 11.
Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
He is with us in all things. We are not working through the pieces of life that seem like drudgery alone. The Holy Spirit is with us. We need only remember that in all things, Jesus is with us.
Reflection
I look at these three passages, and the power that they offer me through Christ Jesus and Him in me, and the struggle, having joy in my trials, fades a bit more every day. If these verses were not enough 2Corinthians 4:7-16 are like that first cup of coffee that gets me going in the morning.
2 Corinthians 4:7-16 (ESV)
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.
13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
This fuel should be with us throughout the day to remind us of the blessings we have been given. It far outweighs any trial that we might face. But these verses can only help us if we genuinely believe them to be true. These powerful passages are just a bunch of words without faith. To grow the Gospel, we need to share this good news with others and use them to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ as well.
Fellowship
We all need to encourage one another, and this cannot be done in a vacuum. We need face time. Right now, we are just coming out of quarantine because of the CONVID-19 virus. We are back in Church with some limitations. What a blessing that has been.
I will tell you I am a loner. I am used to being home alone during the week. After having a couple of strokes and going on disability, my dog Jersey Girl and I spend the day together until my wife Pat gets home. I have been okay with that. But since Church has been closed, it has been a bit of a bummer.
I cannot understand how some folks believe in the Gospel and choose to stay home on Sundays. There is something about fellow believers gathered to worship God that you cannot experience any other way.
I understand some cannot attend services. My Mom is one that has difficulty attending. She watches a live stream of our service. We talk every Sunday, and she looks for us in the Church to see if we are there. A friend of mine in Thailand watches our service too. I am glad our Church offers live streaming services. That fellowship is an opportunity for encouragement. Pat and I talk to Mom. I need to be talking more with my brother in Thailand. We all need one another to lean on.
Encouragement
God has blessed me beyond measure. If someone had told me, I would call a stroke a blessing I would have laughed in their face a few years ago, but it has been such a blessing.
There is a verse in 2Corinthians that is one of my favorites when I consider the health issues I experienced.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
I know to say that it is true is redundant. But I find it hard to describe it any other way. I know that I am thankful. I lost some things. I cannot ride a motorcycle. I have issues with Big Box Stores and can get confused sometimes. I cannot focus on specifics if I am being pressed… I had to leave work and quit things like teaching Sunday School, but it is all good. The thing is, more than any other situation, I know that God is in charge, and I trust Him. I know that He loves me. That gives me the courage to share His Word with others and encourage my Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Closing thoughts
Some of you might be wondering by now why the title of this walk includes the word drudgery. Well, when I started this post, the Lord kept reminding me of different passages of love and encouragement in His Word, and I think all of those are vital for the days that we are forced to face the less exciting moments in life. Maybe for you, it was the quarantine. Or perhaps it is just the day to day things like going to the Grocery or Running errands. Whatever it is, we still need to remember that the light of Jesus is inside of us.
I like what Oswald Chambers said in his devotional.
“If I will do my duty, not for duty’s sake but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience all of the magnificent grace of God is mine through the glorious atonement by the Cross of Christ.”
Just think about that for a moment. How fantastic is that prospect; “all the magnificent grace of God is mine.” I think my heart did a backflip as I typed those words.
Now, if I know this and I believe it to be true how difficult is the drudgery of life. How hard are the trials?
One Final Point
There is one final important point. Peter wrote about in 2Peter1. It has always been a powerful passage for me and something that I can do.
2 Peter 1:3-11 (ESV)
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
When I look at this passage, I am simply drawn near to the Lord. Just look at verses three and four.
“3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”
Peter reminds me that I have so much to be thankful for. Jesus called us His own. What more could we have than that? But he gave us more. He pulled us from the corruption of the world. So, if we hit some of those tough things that drag us down, we have this to remind us that this is not our home. But Peter did not stop there.
He lists things that we should work on to improve our character because of these gifts, so that we might show love and affection to our brothers and sisters in Jesus.
What more can I say? What more can I ask for? God gave me more than I could imagine, and He gives me everything I need to draw nearer to Him.
Suddenly the drudgery of life is not so dark and not so heavy for the light of the Holy Spirit shines in me.
Prayer
Father, thank you! Thank you for all that you provide me every day—especially the things that I overlook or miss seeing. Thank you, Lord, for your Holy Word, to bring all your provision into focus so that I am not turned away from the things above or distracted too much by the elements of the world. Thank You in Jesus’ name, Amen.