"The Patience of Faith"

This morning while enjoying some time with the Lord before work, I felt compelled to open my copy of My Utmost for His Highest and read the devotional for the day. I haven't done that in quite some time, so I figured God must have something to say to me. And He did. As I was flipping through the pages to reach the May 18 entry, the book fell open to May 8 and a quick glance showed me that was what I was supposed to read--not today's entry (although I did read it as well). It both encouraged and convicted me, so I thought I would share it.

The Patience of Faith 

"Patience is more than endurance. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says--'I cannot stand any more.' God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. For what have you need of patience just now? Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. 'Though he slay me, yet will I wait for him.'

Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot understand what He is doing, but you know Him. Shipwreck occurs when there is not that mental poise which comes from being established on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the heroic effort of your life; you fling yourself in reckless confidence on God.

God has ventured all in Jesus Christ to save us, now He wants us to venture our all in abandoned confidence in Him. There are spots where that faith has not worked in us as yet, places untouched by the life of God. There were none of those spots in Jesus Christ's life, and there are to be none in ours. 'This is life eternal, that they might know Thee.' The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvelous things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power."

- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, "May 8" (emphasis mine)

One of the reasons the entry caught my eye is because some of the sentences were underlined and highlighted. So I've obviously read it before--but needed to hear it again today. I love how God will bring the right words into our lives at the right time--if we'll only have our ears open to hear them. Goodness knows I've missed countless opportunities to hear the Lord and converse with Him, but I'm glad I didn't this time.

My prayer for myself, and for each of you reading this, is that we will grow in relationship with the Lord and be "sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1) as we live out the gospel of Jesus Christ and find our true foundation in Him.

Grace and peace be with you!