"Be instant in
season, out of season." 2 Timothy 4:2
I read this verse earlier
this week in a devotion by Oswald Chambers in his renowned book "My Utmost
For His Highest." (Highly recommend--Chambers was an incredible Christian
author of the 19th/20th century) Let me first summarize Chamber's reflections
on this verse before continuing.
Being "instant in
season, out of season" is referring to being intentional and proactive in
how we live our lives even when we don't feel like doing what we know we
should. "There are unemployables in the spiritual domain, spiritually
decrepit people, who refuse to do anything unless they are supernaturally
inspired. The proof that we are rightly related to God is that we do our best
whether we feel inspired or not." Chambers goes on to explain how in our
relationship with God, we won't live in a constant state of feeling inspired
and at our best. There are certainly moments when we do feel that inspiration
and supernatural insight though, and we need to realize that these moments are
a gift of God entirely. "If you make a god of your best moments, you will
find that God will fade out of your life and never come back until you do the
duty that lies nearest, and have learned not to make a fetish of your rare
moments."
This theme of living in
light of our "God-inspired moments" has been somewhat of a theme in
Chamber's writing. While he makes a point to advise us not to make a god out of
our best moments, he also encourages us to bring what was revealed to us in
those moments into the decisions and actions we make in our everyday lives.
"We must bring our commonplace life up to the standard revealed in the
high hour. Never allow a feeling which was stirred in you in the high hour to
evaporate. Act immediately, do something, if only because you would rather not
do it. If in a prayer meeting God has shown you something to do, don't say-
"I'll do it"; do it! Laziness is always seen in cravings for the high
hour; we talk about working up to a time on the mount. We have to learn to live
in the grey day according to what we saw on the mount: Never revise your
decisions, but see that you make your decisions in the light of the high
hour."
That's Oswald for ya... I
told you he was brilliant, did I not?
Can any of you relate
with this, or is it just me? When Chambers speaks of this 'high hour,'
immediately I can think of exact moments in my life. I can tell you where I
was, what was going on in my life at that time, what I felt God was calling me
to do, and probably what kind of coffee I was drinking as well. (Afterall, each of our
finest God-inspired moments happens over a cup of coffee, no?) But you know what
else? I can also testify to the times that coming off of my high hour, I did
not bring those decisions into my grey day ordinary life. Once the feeling
left, once the dullness and discontentment crept back into my mind, I reasoned
that I simply didn't have the energy and was not equipped to do that which God
had called me to.
Laziness? Perhaps.
Insecurity? Certainly. But do you know what I think the real roadblock is for
me? Not having a focused vision.
There's too much I tell
myself I need to do. I fill my mind with ideas of who I want to create myself
to be. I entertain notions of all the hobbies I should pick up, or groups of
people I need to acquaint with, you name it. --Even good things become bad
things when they keep you from the best thing!-- So today I want to reflect on
simplicity. I want to encourage myself with who I don't have to be and what I
don't have to do. I want to create space. I want to get off of my own agenda
and live in faithful abandon to God, and to living each day in light of what He
reveals to me in the high hour.
Cont. in following post.....
