My Utmost for His Highest - April 28th - What Will You Get

But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh,’ declares the Lord, ‘but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go.’ - Jeremiah 45:5

    This is the unshakeable secret of the Lord to those who trust Him--"I will give thee thy life." What more does a man want than his life? It is the essential thing. "Thy life for a prey" means that wherever you may go, even if it is into hell, you will come out with your life, nothing can harm it. So many of us are caught up in the shows of things, not in the way of property and possessions, but of blessings. All these have to go; but there is something grander that never can go--the life that is "hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)"

    Are you prepared to let God take you into union with Himself, and pay no more attention to what you call the great things? Are you prepared to abandon entirely and let go? The test of abandonment is in refusing to say--"Well, what about this?" Beware of suppositions. Immediately you allow--What about this?--it means you have not abandoned, you do not really trust God. Immediately you do abandon, you think no more about what God is going to do. Abandon means to refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions. If you abandon entirely to God, He says at once, "Thy life will I give thee for a prey." The reason people are tired of life is because God has not given them anything, they have not got their life as a prey. The way to get out of that state is to abandon to God. When you do get through to abandonment to God, you will be the most surprised and delighted creature on earth; God has got you absolutely and has given you your life. If you are not there, it is either because of disobedience or a refusal to be simple enough.

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

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

My Thoughts

The classic edition mentions "prey", while the current edition says, "prize." The danger in life is to focus on what has been given to me rather than focus on the one who has given it and being in union with Him. To surrender or abandon my life is to do it completely, without expecting anything in return. It is not "surrender" and then I look to God for a prize. The prize I will receive in abandonment or surrender is God given life.