Rightly Related

As I sat down for my quiet time this morning, which has been long overdue, I looked forward to simply being in the presence of my Maker (and getting back on a routine schedule). The past couple of weeks in this advent season have not been spent in waiting for the coming of Christ, but for time off work and a highly anticipated wedding of a dear friend. Those two things have dominated my time and probably my conversations (I apologize to those who had to listen to me!). As I was standing at the alter listening to the pastor charge the bride and groom with the responsibilities and commitment of marriage, I was reminded of what was important. I tried to be there for my friend to assist her in preparing for the day in terms of the visible, but not the heart. I helped put programs together and had her dress steamed, but I did not offer to pray over her or their marriage. As I stood and watched the vows exchanged, I was humbled…and it didn’t stop there.

God continued to speak to me through Oswald Chambers this morning, as he does every time I open My Utmost for His Hightest. Chambers wrote,

“If you can help others by your sympathy or understanding, you are a traitor to Jesus Christ. You have to keep your soul rightly related to God and pour out for others on His line, not pour out on the human line and ignore God…The thing that remains and deepens is the worker’s simple relationship to Jesus Christ; his usefulness to God depends on that and that alone…We are send by God to lift up Jesus Christ, not to give wonderfully beautiful discourses.”

Wow! It was exactly what I needed to hear. Not only does my disobedience or idleness affect me, but it affects my ability to be a blessing to others when God needs me. I was there for my friend in every way, except the one that mattered. I failed to be a sister in Christ in the most important hours of her life and for that I am sorry.