Words from Oswald



Beautiful moon over Phnom Penh

This morning was my second week attending the Men’s Prayer group at the Phnom Penh House of Prayer. Being a part of this group is a real blessing. The same 3 other men were there this week as were there last week and we just sit together in the House of Prayer, sing worship songs, share what we are going through and pray for one another. After the group I got on my bike and rode to Bloom, a world-class cake shop. I was happy to see that Kat is still here. Kat lives in the guest house that I stayed in earlier this year. 

Peanut Butter and Lemon/Raspberry Cupcakes

Today I was challenged by something that Oswald Chambers wrote. (His words often challenge me and sometimes I have to really read/reread and give a lot of thought just to get to a place of understanding what he is conveying.) Leading with the passage in Matthew 3:11 (John baptizing with water states that he is not even worthy to handle the sandals of Christ Who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire) Oswald asks if we have ever come to the spot where we personally are at an end and cannot do a thing, but God begins there - doing the things that only He alone can do. Oswald wrote that unless and until we do get to this place we will never know what the baptism of the Holy Ghost means. Jesus cannot come in to our lives if there is anything blocking the way - either good or bad. He also writes, "Repentance does not bring a sense of sin, but a sense of unutterable unworthiness." I had to read this several times this morning and have just come to the realization that I was confusing "unworthy" as being synonymous with "worthless". There is a mountain of difference between being "unworthy" and be "worthless". Being worthy has to do with what we have accomplished, with our skills and abilities. Being of worth has to do with the value given to us regardless how worthy we may or may not be. We are all, each and every one of us, unworthy and unable to do in our lives what God can do in our lives, but we are infinitely far from being "worthless". God sees us just the opposite. He would give everything and has given everything for us because He sees us as infinitely worth His love.