Now this explains it - Chambers, Oswald

Chapter VI

As thou, father, art in me, and i in thee, that they also may be one in us. John 17:21

The submissions of life (luke 2:51; john 19:11)

We are not built for ourselves, but for god, not for service for god, but for god; that explains the sub- missions of life. And he went down with them,

. . . And he was subject unto them. An amazing submission! For thirty years jesus lived at home with brothers and sisters who did not believe in him, and when he began his ministry they said he was mad. As he is, so are we in this world. We say, when i was born again i thought it would be a time of great illumination and service, and instead of that i have had to stay at home with people who have criticised me and limited me on the right hand and on the left; i have been misunderstood and misrepresented. The disciple is not above his master. Do we think our lot ought to be better than jesus christs? We can easily escape the submissions if we like, but if we do not submit, the spirit of god will produce in us the most ghastly humiliation before long. Knowing that jesus has prayed for us makes us submit.

God is not concerned about your aims and mine. He does not say, do you want to go through this bereavement, this upset? He allows these things for his own purpose. We may say what we like, but god does allow the devil, he does allow sin, he does allow bad men to triumph and tyrants to rule, and these things either make us fiends or they make us saints, it depends entirely on the relationship we are in towards god. If we say, thy will be done, we get the tremendous consolation of knowing that our father is working everything according to his own wisdom. If we understand what god is after, we shall be saved from being mean9 and cynical.

The things we are going through are either mak- ing us sweeter, better, nobler men and women, or they are making us more captious and fault-finding, more insistent on our own way. We are either getting more like our father in heaven, or we are getting more mean and intensely selfish. How are we behaving our- selves in our circumstances? Do we understand the purpose of our life as never before? God does not exist to answer our prayers, but by our prayers we come to discern the mind of god, and that is declared in john 17, that they may be one, even as we are one. Am i as close to jesus as that? God will not leave me alone until i am. God has one prayer he must answer, and that is the prayer of jesus christ. It does not matter how imperfect or immature a disciple may be, if he will hang in, that prayer will be answered.

The solitarinesses of life (luke 4:12; 22:42)

There was nothing to mark our lord out from ordinary men saving that he was insulated within. He did not choose the solitary places, he was driven by the spirit of god into the wilderness. It is not good for a man to be alone. Evil will make a man want to be alone. Jesus christ does not make monks and nuns, he makes men and women fit for the world as it is (see john 17:15). We say, 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 his father. God does not expect us to work for him, but to work with him.

Every man carries his kingdom within, and no one knows what is taking place in anothers kingdom.

No one understands me! Of course they dont, each one of us is a mystery. There is only one who understands you, and that is god. Hand yourself over to him. Are you being subjected in this internal kingdom to tremendous temptations? Jesus was tempted of the devil, perhaps you are also, but no one guesses it. There is never any comrade for your soul when you are tempted. Temptation is the testing of the thing held; we hold from god the possibility of the answer to our lords prayer, and that is the line along which the temptation will come. This explains itjesus has prayed that they may be one, even as we are one. Think of being one with jesus, one in aim and pur- pose! Some of us are far off from this, and yet god will not leave us alone until we are one with him, because jesus has prayed that we may be. There is a risk in discipleship because god never shields us from the world, the flesh and the devil. Christianity is character, not a show-business. If you are going through a solitary way, read john 17, it will explain exactly why you are where you are. Now you are a disciple you can never be as indepen- dent as you used to be. Jesus has prayed that you might be one with the father as he is; are you help- ing god to answer his prayer, or have you another end for your life? The sublimity of life ( john 17:22) and the glory which thou gavest me i have given them. The glory of our lord was the glory of a holy life, and that is what he gives to us. He gives us the gift of holiness, are we exercising it? The hope of his calling is revealed in john 17, and it is the great light on every problem. God grant that we may remain true to that calling. We will come unto him, and make our abode with him, the triune god abiding with the saint. What does a man need to care after that!

“No one understands me!” Of course they don’t,
each one of us is a mystery. There is only One Who
understands you, and that is God. Hand yourself over
to Him.
Are you being subjected in this internal kingdom
to tremendous temptations? Jesus was tempted of
the devil, perhaps you are also, but no one guesses it.
There is never any comrade for your soul when you
are tempted. Temptation is the testing of the thing
held; we hold from God the possibility of the answer
to our Lord’s prayer, and that is the line along which
the temptation will come. This explains it—Jesus has
prayed “that they may be one, even as We are one.”
Think of being one with Jesus, one in aim and pur-
pose! Some of us are far off from this, and yet God
will not leave us alone until we are one with Him,
because Jesus has prayed that we may be. There is
a risk in discipleship because God never shields us
from the world, the flesh and the devil. Christianity
is character, not a “show-business.”
If you are going through a solitary way, read John
17, it will explain exactly why you are where you are.
Now you are a disciple you can never be as indepen-
dent as you used to be. Jesus has prayed that you
might be one with the Father as He is; are you help-
ing God to answer His prayer, or have you another
end for your life?
The Sublimity of Life ( John 17:22)
And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given
them.
The glory of our Lord was the glory of a holy life,
and that is what He gives to us. He gives us the gift
of holiness, are we exercising it?
“The hope of His calling” is revealed in John 17,
and it is the great light on every problem. God grant
that we may remain true to that calling. “We will
come unto him, and make Our abode with him,” the
triune God abiding with the saint. What does a man
need to care after that!
O Lord, when I awake I am still with Thee.
Quicken my mortal body with Thy mighty resur-
rection life; rouse me with a gracious flooding of
Thy Divine life for this day.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lord, so much activity, so many things, so number-
less the people, and yet Thou remainest! Bless today
with largeness of heart and beauty of character
for Thy glory. O Lord, unto Thee do I look up.
Enlighten me, cause me to be radiant with Thy
countenance. I praise Thee for Thy grace and for
seeing a little of Thy marvellous doings; enable me
more and more to manifest the life hid with Christ
in God.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lord, through the dimness, come with dawning
and drawing light. Breathe on me till I am in a
pure radiant frame of body and mind for Thy work
and for Thy glory this day