I will give your life to you as a prize in all places,
wherever you go —Jeremiah 45:5
This is the firm and immovable secret of the Lord to those
who trust Him— “I will give your life to you . . . .” What more does a man want
than his life? It is the essential thing. “. . . your
life . . . as a prize . . .” means that wherever you may go, even if it is into
hell, you will come out with your life and nothing can harm it. So many of us are caught up in exhibiting things for others to see,
not showing off property and possessions, but our blessings. All these
things that we so proudly show have to go. But there is something greater that
can never go— the life that “is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians
3:3).
Are you prepared to let God take you into total oneness with
Himself, paying no more attention to what you call the great things of life?
Are you prepared to surrender totally and let go? The true test of abandonment
or surrender is in refusing to say, “Well, what about this?” Beware of your own
ideas and speculations. The moment you allow yourself to think, “What about
this?” you show that you have not surrendered and that you do not really trust
God. But once you do surrender, you will no longer think about what God is
going to do. Abandonment means to refuse yourself the
luxury of asking any questions. If you totally
abandon yourself to God, He immediately says to you, “I will give your life to
you as a prize . . . .” The reason people are tired of life is that God has not
given them anything— they have not been given their life “as a prize.” The way
to get out of that condition is to abandon yourself to
God. And once you do get to the point of total surrender to Him, you will be
the most surprised and delighted person on earth. God will have you absolutely,
without any limitations, and He will have given you your life. If you are not
there, it is either because of disobedience in your life or your refusal to be
simple enough.
(Taken from Oswald Chambers – “My Utmost
for His Highest” April 28)