How I Read My Utmost for His Highest

I’ve been reading My Utmost for His Highest since before the turn of the century.

This is how I use it.

As a Devotional

I’d never used a devotional book before I opened My Utmost for His Highest.

I’ve written about Christian devotionals here, including a bit of history.

Devotional writers generally take a passage of the Bible and talk about it–perhaps telling a personal story or an application.

Often a devotional reading includes a question or something to think about.

For me and My Utmost for His Highest, my reaction to the reading usually provides the question.

As in–what does OC (Oswald Chambers) mean and does this apply to me?

As a Brain Teaser

My Utmost for His Highest is like an appetizer before I start reading my normal Bible passages.

(In my case, that’s one Old Testament chapter, one Psalm or Proverb, and one New Testament passage daily. I rotate through the Bible all year long).

It presents a picture of God‘s interaction with believers.

I often have to really think about what it’s trying to say.

(Hint: read the title and examine the Bible passage!)

As a Challenge

My Utmost for His Highest often challenges me about my own perspectives and actions.

I have a “nail me to the wall,” response to the readings frequently enough that I speak out loud to the reading.

As in, “Really, OC?”

Many of the readings describe or admonish us in how to live in a world that doesn’t understand Christians.

OC and Biddy ran a Bible Training College for would-be missionaries; the readings often talk about missionary-related topics.

Because believers are supposed to spread the good news of Jesus, all those missionary-related devotionals apply to us, too.

As an Opportunity to See God in a Different Light

I see God differently as a result of reading My Utmost for His Highest.

OC presents God in an uncompromising way–not a negative one–but plainly.

This is who God is–how do I respond to Him?

The day I’m writing this post, January 19, My Utmost for His Highest begins with this statement:

“Whenever God gives a vision to a saint, He puts him, as it were, in the shadow of His hand, and the saint’s duty is to be still and listen.”

To the point, a declarative statement about my role as a follower of Jesus.

I read that sentence and asked myself: how does this apply to me? Is my responsibility to God to listen?

Ah, yes.

But, in that line alone, what do OC and Biddy want me to understand?

1. God gives visions to His followers.
2. He protects me–hiding me under the shadow of his hand
3. Soas to enable me to be still–feeling safe–and thus able to hear His direction.

This sounds like an excellent plan to me–especially today.

As a Conversation

I use My Utmost for His Highest as part of my “quiet time” with God.

When it spurs questions–and I ask them of God.

Sometimes it makes me reconsider the passage OC used to construct his point.

Occasionally it goes over my head and means nothing.

(On those days, I move along to the Bible).

Most days, My Utmost for His Highest is simply a blessing to my soul.

How about you?

Tweetables

How I use My Utmost for His Highest. Click to Tweet

Conversation, Questions and Confusion: My Utmost for His Highest. Click to Tweet

How do you react to My Utmost for His Highest? Click to Tweet

 

Interested in Oswald and Biddy Chambers? You might be interested in reading my free Ebook, Writing About Biddy and Oswald Chambers, which tells of the astonishing “serendipities” that occured while I wrote Mrs. Oswald Chambers. Sign up for my newsletter here, for your copy.