Mixing with the rough and tumble

By: American Decency Staff

“… The test of our spirituality comes when we come up against injustice and meanness and ingratitude and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritual sluggards. …” I agree with Oswald Chambers today as he writes in his classic devotional “Utmost for His Highest” that we all have a tendency to be spiritual sluggards. He writes “… We are all capable of being spiritual sluggards; we do not want to mix with the rough and tumble of life as it is, our one object is to secure retirement. The note struck in Hebrews 10 is that of provoking one another and of keeping together – both of which require initiative, the initiative of Christ-realization, not of self-realization. To live a remote, retired, secluded life is the antipodes of spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it. Chambers continues: “The test of our spirituality comes when we come up against injustice and meanness and ingratitude and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritual sluggards. We want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of retirement. We utilize God for the sake of getting peace and joy, that is, we do not want to realize Jesus Christ, but only our enjoyment of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things are effects and we try to make them causes. …” As I read these devotional thoughts today, I thought of the varieties of pulls and demands that I am facing and that you are facing. Some of them are painful to confront. We want to run and hide (and settle into being a sluggard). However, as we listen to Christ, His voice may likely be calling us not to run and hide but to deny ourselves and follow Him. This seldom sung song came to mind. “Am I a soldier of the cross – a follower of the lamb, and shall I fear to own His cause or blush to speak His name? Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas? … Sure I must fight if I would reign, increase my courage Lord, I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by the Word.” [Words: Isaac Watts, 1721-4] July bulletin insert https://americandecency.org/resources/bulletin/2007/btnjuly07.pdf Donations accepted: https://secure4.afo.net/ada/main.php?f=donate/display9 American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 PH: 231-924-4050

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