thoughts on (and connections to) today's "My Utmost for His Highest" devotion

"God is not concerned about our plans; He does not say--Do you want to go through this bereavment; this upset? He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, nobler men and women; or they are making us more captious and fault-finding, more insistent upon our own way. The things that happen either make us fiends, or they make us saints; it depends entirely upon the relationship we are in to God" (from My Utmost for His Highest, May 22).

This reminds me of something Harold Best says in his book, Unceasing Worship (for publication info, please click on the link to the book). He begins by saying, basically, that "nobody does not worship," that we are--all of us--pouring ourselves out to, or bowing down and serving, some thing or some one, and that Christian worship is redeemed worship, redeemed outpouring. But then he goes on to say that what we pour ourselves into is what is shaping us: "Everyone is growing up toward some measure of fullness, whether of righteousness or evil" (18). And that is what reminds me of the above quote from MUFHH. "The things that happen [I would also add 'and how we respond to them'] either make us fiends, or they make us saints."

This also reminds me of something C.S. Lewis wrote in The Screwtape Letters: "The safest road to hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts."

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Interestingly enough, today's Scripture from MUFHH is John 17:21. Jesus is praying to the Father and asking for the disciples to be one as He and the Father are one. Chambers seems to interpret this as each of us individually identifying with Christ in His suffering (see the full text of today's devotion here) or giving up our "independence" to trust in God and follow Jesus. And these things need to be done. But what about giving up our independence not only to depend on God, but also to live together as God's people, doing God's work?

What is Jesus saying about the community and close fellowship that we are to have and share and treasure together as believers? Chambers thoughts concerning the will of God and personal holiness (quoted above) still make sense, even when applied to the People of God living together in unity, the body of Christ growing up into Him who is the Head (Ephesians 4:15).