My Utmost for His Highest - May 8th - The Patience of Faith

Because you have kept My word of perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of the testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who live on the earth. - Revelation 3:10

    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. (Job 13:15)"

    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 where 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 these spots in Jesus Christ's life, and there are to be none in ours. "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee. (John 17:3)" 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.

- From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

Highlights and Underlines are courtesy of Mom from her print edition.

Mom's thoughts

Reckless and Confidence

My thoughts

That is a great analogy of our life being in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. He holds us and let lets us go when He thinks it is appropriate. I can trust myself in His hands. It is called the patience of faith or faith patience. I am not simply patience, but patient because of faith. I know Him because of faith and so I can fling myself in reckless confidence on God. My purpose is know Him and know Him better - so I can then face anything as He lets me fly.