January 18

‘Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and My God.’ – John 20:28

                In this morning’s devotion, Oswald Chambers poses a question. He asks if the reader is drinking in Christ to sustain themselves, or if they are pouring themselves out completely in devotion to Christ. It is an interesting question considering that we are taught that Jesus does sustain us. At first glance, I found it difficult to discern just what Chambers was getting at.

                Chambers is hitting on a point that we have discussed previously. Ask not what your God can do for you, but what you can do for your God. It is true that Christ sustains us, but Chambers is asking if we are letting our tanks run empty in devotion to Him, pouring out our whole selves, or if we are just topping off our tank. Are we only using our faith and devotion to maintain our status quo?  

                There is a funny saying that has stuck with me for some time: ‘There will always be prayer in school so long as there are exams’. I think that this is the point that Chambers is making. Are we turning to God only when it is convenient for us? Do we allow Him to use us when the timing is less convenient?

                There is a distinction to be made though between devotion and service. Remember that it is easier to act and to serve than it is to partake in the Resurrection by allowing ourselves to pass away in Christ. God asks us to serve as tools for extending His divine nature in this world and in that respect service is warranted. The rub occurs when we find ourselves devoted to well intentioned service without prayer and meditation leading to guidance. We are capable of acting and producing goodness, but we must make sure that we are doing so in a capacity that is furthering God’s plan for our lives and not merely satisfying our own bias.

                So how do we determine if we are in appropriate service to Him? The only answer is found in prayer. God will direct you if you listen.

                The analogy has been made several times that: God is the potter and we are the clay. This is true and it never ceases to be true as we are continually shaped. However, the analogy could be made that through appropriate service, we also become the potter’s wheel as He uses us to help to shape those around us through ways in which we may never even be aware.