Journal

Contemplative Life

God, Isaiah and Oswald Chambers

Like many parents, I am fretting over the summer calendar already.  (Maybe these extra snow days after an already-long weekend  are wearing me out!)  The awesome church camp schedule is posted, but I’m still waiting on the county’s schedule.  Further, we have several family commitments to juggle and of course, we hope to home-swap with someone we trust so we can have a nuclear family holiday.  And then each kid has a specific interest: “Can you find an Adventures in Odyssey/Mario Brothers/Monopoly/Legos combo-camp somewhere, Mom?!”

You know the drill.  Certainly if both parents work, you can identify with it on some level.  Even if you’re not a parent, the questions are “How much am I really in control of?  How much responsibility do I really have?”  Both are asked with very heavy weights…and heavy waits.

Isaiah 45:22:
* “Turn to me and be saved … for I am God, and there is no other.”
* “Look unto Me, and be ye saved.”
* “I am God: the only God there is.  So turn to me and be helped – saved! – everyone, whoever and wherever you are.”
* “Let them but look to me by faith and prayer, look above instruments and second causes, look off from all pretenders, and look up to me, and they shall be saved.”

No matter what translation, it all boils down to God as our Absolute.  We look to Him and He does everything else.  Do I trust Him like that?  Can I trust Him like that?  If no, do I want to choose to trust Him like that?

Oswald Chambers said, “The difficulties and trials – the casting about in our minds as to what we shall do this summer, or tomorrow, all vanish when we look to God.  Rouse yourself up and look to God.  Build your hope on Him.  No matter if there are a hundred and one things that press, resolutely exclude them all and look to Him.  ‘Look unto Me,’ and salvation is, the moment you look.”

What peace this truth brings.  So be it.  Amen.

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