Not to the Needs of Men But To the Will of God

People give their lives to many things they have no business to. 

• I do not have any right to give up the right to myself 
• to anyone but God Almighty, 
• and devotion to a cause, 
• no matter how noble or how beautiful, 
• nowhere touches the wisdom of this lesson. 

When I am told I must give up my right to myself to Jesus Christ, 

• I am bound to ask—if I do not ask, I have not grasped the situation thoroughly—
• “Who is it that asks this tremendous devotion? 
• Is there any principle, any cause, any enterprise on the face of the earth of such importance 
• that I have to give the very highest I have - my right to myself, for it?” 
• The only Being Who dare ask of me this supreme sacrifice is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Satan’s great aim is to deflect me from the center. 

• He will allow me to be devoted “to death” to any cause, any enterprise, 
• to anything but the Lord Jesus. 
• Am I roused by the Spirit of God to wonder 
• whether the object to which I am devoting my life 
• has been chosen in a selfish consecration or not?

Whenever my Lord talked about discipleship 

• He brought out that fundamental thought—
• “If any man will come after Me, let him . . . take up his cross daily and follow Me.” 
• Jesus Christ distinctly stated that He came to do the will of His Father. 
• “I must work the works of Him that sent Me.” 

His first obedience was not to the needs of men, 

• but to the will of God. 
• He nowhere chose the altar of His sacrifice, 
• God chose it for Him. 

He chose to make His life a willing and obedient sacrifice 

• that His Father’s purpose might be fulfilled, 
• and He says, “As the Father has sent Me, 
• even so send I you”.

Adapted Excerpt From

The Place of Help

Oswald Chambers