Saturday, October 22, 2005 · no responses · comments closed

In today’s Utmost devotional, Chambers writes this rather startling statement:

If you are debating as to whether or not God can deliver from sin, then either let Him do it or tell Him that He cannot.

Startling, I say, because of its directness and simplicity. Walking with God is not that hard, is it? We either do it or we don’t. We — -no, let me speak only for myself — -I want to say, “Yes, but…”: “If you only knew what I was dealing with, Father” or “You don’t have to work with this person, Lord, or you would understand…”

But of course He does know what I deal with, and He has worked with that person, and He understands it all far better than I. This leaves me with no excuses.

Lest that sound harsh and hopeless, let me add that I find no condemnation in this perspective. Indeed, I find it comforting because I am reminded that it’s all quite simple. As Chambers says immediately after: “Simply obey Matthew 11:28, ‘Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden….’”

Who could resist such an invitation? Or more to the point, why do I resist such an invitation? I see two reasons. In one of the great perversities of human nature, we (you see I find it hard to make this about myself alone) seem more inclined to labor under burdens than we are to simply rest. We like the credit we can claim when we work. Or, if we’ve moved beyond a works mindset, then we don’t really believe God — -we don’t take Him at His word. Though we likely wouldn’t say, “God, You are incapable of saving me from this sin, this situation, this bondage,” though we wouldn’t dare to pray, “God, You can’t” — -our actions say it just the same.

No wonder Jesus repeatedly said, “O you of little faith!” No wonder He asked, “Will the Son of Man find faith when He comes?” (Luke 18:8). This makes me think of a third reason some resist His invitation: they don’t believe it applies to them. I grew up in a religious culture that believed that God was “mighty to save” the lost, but once you walked the aisle, confessed your sins, and got out of the baptistry, you were on your own. This perspective sees Jesus’ loving invitation as a call to the lost alone.

I’ve come to see, to believe, that it’s really a call He makes to each of us every day. “Come to Me…and I will give you rest.” But I have to come in faith and receive His rest by faith. My circumstances may not seem restful, but in faith I can rest. The enemy may be tormenting me with a sin I can’t seem to shake, but in faith I can rest.

We must take the Father — -the merciful and gracious Father who loves us as His children — -at His word:

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).

But of course, I can’t ignore the rest of this verse: “…but you would have none of it.”

Father, let that not be said of me!