Carry on His Work

I recently read an insightful quote in Matthew Henry Commentary:  “We are apt to dote too much on men and means, instruments and external helps; whereas God will change his workmen, and yet carry on his work.  There is no need of immortal ministers to be the guides of the church, while it is under the conduct of an eternal Spirit."  While God employs the teaching and testimony of His saints long after He receives them into glory, I agree with the sentiment.  Many times I imagine many have wondered how the church or organisation was to survive after the passing of a much loved leader, but God is able to change His workmen and carry on His work.

One verse Oswald Chambers directed his listeners to take to heart was one that God ministered greatly in his own life were the words of Jesus in Luke 11:13:  "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"  Knowing the church is God's precious possession purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ, His Body of believers will be sustained by the Holy Spirit now and forever.  I enjoyed the journal entry from October 7 by Chambers during the Great War whilst in Egypt:

"A gem of an experience came after the evening service, a soldier came to see me under deep compunction of conscience, and after a talk we knelt in the deep and glorious moonlight at an old sun-bleached form in the compound and he transacted business with God on Luke 11:13, confirmed by 1 John 5:14-15, and his witness was undoubtedly John 14:27, 'My peace I give unto you.'  One never gets used to the unspeakable wonder of a soul entering consciously into the Kingdom of our Lord.  It was a great joy to experience it all again." (McCasland, David. Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God. Discovery House Publishers, 1993. page 255.

How awesome it is Jesus Christ has gone to the Father but has not left us alone, having provided the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth and helps us be fruitful in our endeavours for the Gospel.  God's workmen come and go, but the Holy Spirit abides in us and is ever with us.  It is not "new blood" we need in the church:  the blood of Jesus is sufficient to cleanse all sinners and cause them to be born again into God's kingdom, servants of the Most High!  As much as we might want Oswald Chambers or other believers to carry on labouring forever in their posts on earth, the world does not need another Chambers or Spurgeon to spark revival:  the world needs Jesus Christ and believers who may remain nameless, filled with the Holy Spirit, through whom Jesus will be made known.