Are you Independent or Identified? - Chambers, Oswald
John 21:18
devotional following
verily, verily, i say unto thee, when thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest . . .
Jesus is not rebuking peter, he is revealing a characteristic of us all. Peter had given up everything for the lord, and the lord was everything to peter, but he knew nothing whatever about the following that Jesus is referring to. Three years before, Jesus had said follow me, and peter followed easily, the fascination of Jesus was upon him; then he came to the place where he denied Jesus and his heart broke. Now Jesus says again follow thou me. Peter follows now in the submission of his intelligence, his will, and his whole being. There is no figure in front save the lord Jesus Christ. When we are young in grace we go where we want to go, but a time comes when Jesus says another shall gird thee, our will and wish is not asked for. This stage of spiritual experience brings us into fellowship with the spirit of Jesus, for it is written large over his life that even Christ pleased not himself. There is a distinct period in our experience when we cease to say lord, show me thy will, and the realisation begins to dawn that we are gods will, and he can do with us what he likes. We wake up to the knowledge that we have the privilege of giving ourselves over to gods will. It is a question of being yielded to god.
Death following . . .
But when thou shalt be old, . . . Another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
When we are young in grace there is a note of independence about our spiritual lifei dont intend anyone to tell me what to do, i intend to serve god as i choose. It is an independence based on inexperience, an immature fellowship; it lacks the essential of devotion. Some of us remain true to the independent following and never get beyond it; but we are built for god, himself, not for service for god, and that explains the submissions of life. We can easily escape the submissions if we like to rebel against them, but the spirit of god will produce the most ghastly humiliation if we do not submit. Since we became disciples of Jesus we cannot be as independent as we used to be. I do wish Jesus did not expect so much of me. He expects nothing less than absolute oneness with himself as he was one with the father. That they may be one, even as we are one. That is the hope of his calling and it is the great light on every problem. And for their sakes i sanctify myself said jesus. Jesus makes us saints in order that we may sacrifice our saintship to him, and it is this sacrifice which keeps us one with our lord. In the natural world it is a real delight to be faced with risk and danger, and in the spiritual world god gives us the sporting chance. He will plant us down amongst all kinds of people and give us the amazing joy of proving ourselves a living sacrifice in those circumstances. Thou art my beloved son; in thee i am well pleased; the fathers heart was thrilled with delight at the loyalty of his son. Is jesus christ thrilled with delight at the way we are living a sacrifi- cial life of holiness? The disciple has no programme, only a distinguished passion of devotion to his lord. 8