He must increase, but I must decrease. - John 3:30
If you become a necessity to a soul, you are out of God's order. As a worker, your great responsibility is to be a friend of the Bridegroom. When once you see a soul in sight of the claim of Jesus Christ, you know that your influence has been in the right direction, and instead of putting out a hand to prevent the throes, pray that they grow ten times stronger until there is no power on earth or in hell that can hold that soul away from Jesus Christ. Over and over again, we become amateur providences, we come in and prevent God; and say--"This and that must be." Instead of proving friends of the Bridegroom, we put our sympathy in the way, and the soul will one day say--"That one was a thief, he stole my affections from Jesus, and I lost my vision of Him."
Beware of rejoicing with a soul in the wrong thing, but see that you do rejoice in the right thing. "
The friend of the Bridegroom...rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:29-30)" This is spoken with joy and not with sadness--at last they are to see the Bridegroom! And John says this is his joy. It is the absolute effacement of the worker, he is never thought of again.
Watch for all you are worth until you hear the Bridegroom's voice in the life of another. Never mind what havoc it brings, what upsets, what crumblings of health, rejoice with divine hilarity when once His voice is heard. You may often see Jesus Christ wreck a life before He saves it. (“
Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34)
Oswald Chambers - From My Utmost for His Highest Classic Edition
- Underlines and highlights are courtesy of Mom from her Print Edition (she made no underlines or highlights for this one)
- throes - a spasm or pang of pain
- effacement - to rub out, erase; the act or process of eliminating something
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