Notable and Quotable: Oswald Chambers

"The New Testament notices things that do not seem worthy of notice by our standards. “Blessed are the poor in spirit….” This literally means, “Blessed are the paupers.” Paupers are remarkably commonplace! The preaching of today tends to point out a person’s strength of will or the beauty of his character— things that are easily noticed. The statement we so often hear, “Make a decision for Jesus Christ,” places the emphasis on something our Lord never trusted. He never asks us to decide for Him, but to yield to Him— something very different. 

At the foundation of Jesus Christ’s kingdom is the genuine loveliness of those who are commonplace. I am truly blessed in my poverty. If I have no strength of will and a nature without worth or excellence, then Jesus says to me, “Blessed are you, because it is through your poverty that you can enter My kingdom.” I cannot enter His kingdom by virtue of my goodness— I can only enter it as an absolute pauper."

The great Scottish preacher Oswald Chambers wrote these words over a hundred years ago. Yielding to Jesus is something that is so hard for me to do! I want to give Him all my strengths for His use, ask forgiveness for being weak, but do I really want to yield my life to what He desires? I read this today and was struck by its sheer simplicity. I had to share it! It's so easy to say we believe. Easy to say we'd give up our life for His truth, yet it's so hard to live out every day as He leads. God help me!