oh oswald

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, July 30th Jesus did not commit Himself unto them for He knew what was in man." John 2:24-25 Disillusionment means that there are no more false judgments in life. To be undeceived by disillusionment may leave us cynical and unkindly severe in our judgment of others, but the disillusionment which comes from God brings us to the place where we see men and women as they really are, and yet there is no cynicism, we have no stinging, bitter things to say. Many of the cruel things in life spring from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts; we are true only to our ideas of one another. Everything is either delightful and fine, or mean and dastardly, according to our idea. The refusal to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering in human life. It works in this way - if we love a human being and do not love God, we demand of him every perfection and every rectitude, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; we are demanding of a human being that which he or she cannot give. There is only one Being Who can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Why Our Lord is apparently so severe regarding every human relationship is because He knows that every relationship not based on loyalty to Himself will end in disaster. Our Lord trusted no man, yet He was never suspicious, never bitter. Our Lord's confidence in God and in what His grace could do for any man, was so perfect that He despaired of no one. If our trust is placed in human beings, we shall end in despairing of everyone. this summer i have been really convicted about the weight and value i put on relationships. i believe the Lord gives us relationships and intimacy in order for us to mirror the intimacy we have with Him. however, sometimes i put the desire i have for intimacy with people over the desire i have for relationship with God. that desire is the biggest idol that i serve. normally i will do anything to keep and to protect my idol. i am realizing this more and more everyday. one of my friends here told me to read this and said it would tear me apart...and it did. Oswald says every relationship that is not based in Christ will FALL APART. i cannot trust anyone to satisfy the need i have for the Lord, and too often i expect that of people in my life. so, this summer i am praying that i expect great things from God alone, and live knowing that i have received the same grace as everyone else.