The Well of Our Incompleteness Runs Deep: Oswald Chambers

Oswald Chambers’ (1874-1906) writings in his devotional book, “My Utmost For His Highest” have guided Christians on the path of Jesus Christ since 1935. I hesitate to use the word “devotional,” as these are so much meatier than that. These daily, oh-so-brief mini essays pack a wallop of wisdom and insight that go much deeper than worship but result in praise to God all the same.

The nugget that lands on today’s date is as follows:

“Where then do You get that living water?” (John 4:11)

     “‘The well is deep’”—and even a great deal deeper than the Samaritan woman knew! (4:11). Think of the depths of human nature and human life; think of the depth of the ‘wells’ in you. Have you been limiting, or impoverishing, the ministry of Jesus to the point that He is unable to work in your life? Suppose that you have a deep ‘well’ of hurt and trouble inside your heart, and Jesus comes and says to you, ‘Let not your heart be troubled...’ (John 14:1). Would your response be to shrug your shoulders and say, ‘But, Lord, the well is too deep, and even You can’t draw up quietness and comfort out of it.’ Actually, that is correct. Jesus doesn’t bring anything up from the wells of human nature—He brings them down from above. We limit the Holy One of Israel by remembering only what we have allowed Him to do for us in the past, and also by saying, ‘Of course, I cannot expect God to do this particular thing.’ The thing that approaches the very limits of His power is the very thing we as disciples of Jesus ought to believe He will do. We impoverish and weaken His ministry in us the moment we forget He is almighty. The impoverishment is in us, not in Him. We will come to Jesus for Him to be our comforter or our sympathizer, but we refrain from approaching Him as our Almighty God.

     The reason some of us are such poor examples of Christianity is that we have failed to recognize that Christ is almighty. We have Christian attributes and experiences, but there is no abandonment or surrender to Jesus Christ. When we get into difficult circumstances, we impoverish His ministry by saying, ‘Of course, He can’t do anything about this.’ We struggle to reach the bottom of our own well, trying to get water for ourselves. Beware of sitting back, and saying, ‘It can’t be done.’ You will know it can be done if you will look to Jesus. The well of your incompleteness runs deep, but make the effort to look away from yourself and to look toward Him.” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, emphasis and underlining mine

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;” Proverbs 3:5-7a