"He comes where He commands us to leave. If you stayed home when God told you to go because you were so concerned about your own people there, then you actually robbed them of the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself. When you obeyed and left all the consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach, but as long as you were disobedient, you blocked His way. Watch where you begin to debate with Him and put what you call your duty into competition with His commands. If you say, "I know that He told me to go, but my duty is here," it simply means that you do not believe that Jesus means what He says.

He teaches where He instructs us not to teach. "Master . . . let us make three tabernacles . . ." ( Luke 9:33 ).

Are we playing the part of an amateur providence, trying to play God’s role in the lives of others? Are we so noisy in our instruction of other people that God cannot get near them? We must learn to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us regarding His Son, and He wants to turn our times of prayer into mounts of transfiguration. When we become certain that God is going to work in a particular way, He will never work in that way again.

He works where He sends us to wait. ". . . tarry . . . until . . ." (Luke 24:49 ). "Wait on the Lord" and He will work (Psalm 37:34 ). But don’t wait sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for yourself, just because you can’t see one inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual fits of emotion to "wait patiently for Him"? ( Psalm 37:7 ). Waiting is not sitting with folded hands doing nothing, but it is learning to do what we are told.

These are some of the facets of His ways that we rarely recognize." My Utmost For His Highest

Oswald Chambers frequently confuses me in his writings. Not so much the language (although the turns of his phrases seem foreign to me sometimes, antiquated), but the meanings. I want to argue sometimes, but other times I think maybe I'm just not "there" yet maturity-wise. However, if I'm in the mood for something heavy, I almost always turn to that devotional. It has a weight to it and causes me to think deeply even if I don't grasp what he's saying. Other devotionals sometimes have a simple message that strikes me profoundly. If I'm open to Him, the Spirit almost always has something to teach me, even if it comes from my own reflections through writing rather than the text itself. When I first began this journal journey, I would go to another devotional if I didn't at first see the topic I wanted to blog about. But quickly, the Lord began to show me that if I admitted my confusion and pressed ahead, He would show me as I stepped out in faith.

Upon first glance of today's devotional, I was again confused. But then I took a look at the headings and realized that they definitely apply to me. Lately I've been sensing God preparing the way for me. I feel He's been lighting the way a little ahead of me, introducing things as a warning to remember when I get to that leg of my tour. One I remember recently was that I should not think that I'm in the wrong place just because things don't feel exactly right or work out perfectly. Another from above is that I am still part of God's plan even when I'm not doing the work. My role in that particular event may be to be a presence and then leave, to just be a neighbor and not a teacher, or to facilitate the insertion of space/time where God is working but doesn't want me involved just yet. This is particularly valuable insight for me as I embark on my Walk in my new World. This community carries infinite possibilities, but I only need access to ONE PATH. And the only path I'm interested in is the Lord's. The narrow one. It's interesting to me that straight and level paths only become so because God makes them that way for His anointed. It may look like a treacherous and winding slope of ice to others who see our lives, but somehow when we invite the Spirit inside us, ice becomes thick traction, slopes become rolling meadows, snaked ways become straight as arrows, and danger becomes impotent around us. The mountain either moves out of our way or gets under our feet! PRAISE GOD!

Lord, You are Almighty Omnipotent Sovereign God of All Creation. You are the perfect Father, the Blameless Son, the Truth, The Way, The Resurrection, The Lamb, Friend, Abba, The Great I AM. You are Omnipresent Spirit. Your Word is the Bread of Life. You are my Savior, Redeemer, Rock, Refuge, Tower, and Strength. Please forgive me for so many transgressions. So many rebellious acts. So many sins of ignorance and omission. So much stubborn pride, idolatry, so many filthy rags of my "righteous deeds". I am guilty of everything You accepted for me. I am so utterly guilty I could never make it up to You. Thank You for reminding me of how incredibly HOLY You are. And how incredibly UNholy I am. The amazing thing is that though I feel godly guilt over these, I don't feel shamed. You give me my dignity as a called, purposed, special, precious, maturing, beautiful, loved creation! You choose to forget my sins and wipe away my stains. You wash me white as snow and clothe me in fine linen. You usher me out to soar like an eagle and then bring me back under your soft wing to rest protected. You ride in on a stallion to save me, Your princess. You build a house for me. You call me by name and speak to me personally. You are the fairytale, but You are REAL, TRUE, and FOREVER. Oh how I love You!

My Savior's Love
Charles H. Gabriel, 1856-1932

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus, the Nazarene,
and wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean.
How marvelous! how wonderful! And my song shall ever be:
(Oh how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!)
How marvelous! how wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!
(Oh how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!)

For me it was in the garden He prayed: "Not My will, but Thine."
He had no tears for His own griefs but sweat drops of blood for mine.
How marvelous! how wonderful! And my song shall ever be:
(Oh how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!)
How marvelous! how wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!
(Oh how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!)

In pity, angels beheld Him and came from the world of light
to comfort Him in the sorrows He bore for my soul that night.
How marvelous! how wonderful! And my song shall ever be:
(Oh how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!)
How marvelous! how wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!
(Oh how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!)

He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them His very own;
He ore the burden to Calv'ry, and suffered and died alone.
How marvelous! how wonderful! And my song shall ever be:
(Oh how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!)
How marvelous! how wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!
(Oh how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!)

When, with the ransomed in glory, His face I at last shall see,
'Twill be my joy thro' the ages to sing of His love for me.
How marvelous! how wonderful! And my song shall ever be:
(Oh how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!)
How marvelous! how wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!
(Oh how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful!)