Don’t think now—take the road - Chambers, Oswald
If any man would come after me, let him deny him- self. . . . Matthew 16:24 (RV)
1. Recognise, but dont stop to reckon
And peter went down from the boat, and walked upon the waters, to come to Jesus. (Matthew 14:29 rv)
We are all inclined to recognise the right thing and reckon with the wrong; inclined to recognise the real thing and reckon with the actual. In the incident recorded here the wind was actually boisterous, the water was actually water, the waves were actually high, but peter did not see any of these at first, he did not reckon with them, he simply stepped straight out in recognition of his master and walked on the water to go to jesus. Then he began to reckon with actual things, with the wind and the waves, and down he went instantly. Why could not our lord have kept peter at the bottom of the water as well as on the top of it? Only the recognition of Jesus Christ as lord could have made either possible. If i recognise Jesus as my lord, i have no business with where he engineers my circumstances. If he gives me the pictorial thrill of enabling me to do something ostensibly wonderful, and then suddenly alters my circum- stances and puts me, so to speak, at the bottom of the ocean, what right have i to be afraid? If Jesus Christ can keep me walking on the top of the waves, he can keep me underneath them.
God often does things in order to teach us whether we are denying ourselves or only thinking about doing it. We step right out in faith on god over some matter, then self-consideration enters in and down we go. We have to learn how to rely completely on god; let actual things be what they may, we have to keep recognising him. Whether it be walking on top of the waves or underneath them makes not the slightest difference to god, therefore it need make no difference to us. The actual things are but immediately we look at them we cannot recognise Jesus, we are overwhelmed, and the rebuke come so thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Jesus Christ is educating us to the point of giving up our right to ourselves. How can i empty myself of my self ? By not thinking any more about it, but by taking the road. Recognise Jesus as lord, obey him, and let the next thing happen as he wills.
2. Recklessly dont stop to realise
So when Simon peter heard that it was the lord, he girt his coat about him (for he was naked), and cast himself into the sea. ( john 21:7 rv)
If you debate for a second when god has spoken, it is all up. Never try and realise more clearly and say, i wonder if that is the lord? I wonder if he did speak? Be reckless immediately, fling it all out to him, and you will suddenly find it is the lord, and that he has nourishment already prepared for you; and you may also find that he has a very searching thing to say to you. God always speaks quietly, and if you try to catch an echo of his voice you will never hear it. When the moment comes and you hear, as it were from someone else, it is the lord, recklessly abandon immediately. If you say, i thought it was gods voice, but you did not recklessly obey, you will find it has gone and you will have to wait now. When gods voice will come you do not know, but whenever the realisation of god comes again in the faintest way imaginable, recklessly abandon. It is only by abandon that you find him. Never make the mistake of think- ing that god speaks unmistakably clearly; he speaks in the gentlest of whispers, so unutterably quiet that it is not easy to hear him. We only realise his voice more clearly by recklessness.
3. Relinquish, and dont stop to reason
Verily, verily i say unto thee, when thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, . . . But when thou shalt be old, . . . Another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. ( john 21:18)
Over and over again our convictions have to be abandoned until we learn that jesus christ is to be all in all. When gods word becomes clear by his spirit making it living, relinquish your own notions instantly. You have nothing whatever to do with what sits on you, all you have to do is to relinquish and be sat on i know how to be abased (RV) said the apostle paul. Relinquish in accordance with what Jesus Christ says; don’t stop to reason, but take everything that transpires as being absolutely in accordance with gods order.
One of the last things we learn is that god engineers our circumstances; we do not believe he does, we say we do. Never look for second causes; if you do, you will go wrong. We blunder when we look at circumstances as secondary, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love god, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Dont saythy will be done, but see it is done.