Get Ahold of God

My Utmost From His Highest

 “If I am depressed or burdened, I am to blame, not God or anyone else. Dejection stems from one of two sources— I have either satisfied a lust or I have not had it satisfied. In either case, dejection is the result. Lust means “I must have it at once.” Spiritual lust causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God Himself who gives the answer.” CHAMBERS

Our culture thinks of lust in the sexual context .. but lust is not that limited .. lust is demanding … our self-will or ‘flesh’ or old nature is demanding,  Our old nature wants what it wants when it wants it.  Our old nature will do whatever it has to do to get it. (James 1:14-15) “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires (lust) and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”  The result of pursuing lust is always the same … death … separation from God because of sin and that results in depression or sorrow.

Lust is not just about worldly things …. Chambers is saying that we can lust after spiritual things as well.  We want an answer from God .. a problem resolved … an illness healed … whatever it might be … Maybe we want to use God to satisfy the lust of our flesh.  I am reminded  of a song that Janis Joplin sang

 Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz.
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends.
So oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz
Oh lord won't you buy me a color TV.
Oh lord won't you buy me a night on the town.
I'm counting on you lord, please don't let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round.

 (James 4:2-3)  You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

 “Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer.” CHAMBERS

 In Matthew 22, Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength … the second is to love others … The great revelation is that Life is about the pursuit of God and a relationship with Him.  Jesus turned the world upside down … God demonstrated His love for His creation through Him.  He did that so we could ‘get ahold of Him’. 

(Hebrews 4:14-16)  …. we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 Have you ever thought about prayer the way Chambers describes it? It is not about the object of our prayer but the One to whom we pray that is the purpose.

I could go on and on .. but I won’t … enough for today … Amen