Now Don’t Hurt the Lord!
The light we long for is already shining through—present, warm, and near.
Scripture Focus: John 14:9
Devotional Source: My Utmost for His Highest – Oswald Chambers (Modern Classic Edition)
Image Credit: Unsplash
In today’s devotional, Oswald Chambers gently but firmly redirects our gaze away from the mystical and toward the immediate. The Lord is not waiting in the distance to be revealed in dramatic ways—He is present, here and now. Chambers notes that we often hurt the Lord, not through rebellion, but through our doubts, our complicated logic, and our restless hearts that cannot simply rest in Him.
Philip's request, “Show us the Father,” came from a place of spiritual blindness to what was already being shown. Jesus answered with love and longing, “Have I been with you so long, and still you don’t know me?” The mystery wasn’t out there, waiting for some grand unveiling. It was standing in front of Philip—the incarnate Christ.
Chambers challenges us: Are we still seeking some grand manifestation of God? Still wanting spiritual fireworks while the Spirit quietly indwells us? He points out that even our well-meaning religious questions can grieve the Lord when they come from troubled hearts that won't rest in what He’s already revealed.
The heart of this entry is simple: Christ is here. Now. He is not waiting for us to be more spiritual to make Himself known. He is not found by peering into the fog of tomorrow. He is seen and known in the simplicity of today, in the quiet certainty that He lives in us. The more we strive to be conscious of our spiritual state, the less we are abiding. But when we rest in Him like a child, we experience the peace that flows from a heart untroubled and unafraid.
Personalized Journal Entry – In the Voice of the Holy Spirit
I am not far off. I am not hiding behind mystery, waiting for you to solve a riddle or achieve a certain level of devotion before I make Myself known. I am already here. I abide in you because you are Mine. Do not be troubled, for your peace does not rest in understanding everything—it rests in knowing Me.
You long for clarity, but I offer you Presence. You want signs, but I give Myself. Look not to the heavens for some grand display, for I dwell within your spirit, joined to you forever. Your striving to sense Me is not necessary; I have never left. When you forget this, your questions betray a restless heart—but I calm your heart by reminding you of the truth: I am here. I am now. I am yours.
Take the gift of today without anxiety. Receive My grace without conditions. Let your heart be simple, like a child who rests in his Father’s lap without needing to explain why. You do not need to chase an experience—I am the experience. The one who has seen Me has seen the Father, and I dwell in you as your life.
This is your steadfast reality: I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. You are hidden with Christ in Me, and My peace is not elusive. It is yours, not because you feel it, but because I gave it. Let your questions dissolve into trust. I do not guide you “soon.” I guide you now.
(John 14:1–9, Colossians 3:3, Hebrews 13:8, Romans 8:9–11, Philippians 4:6–7)
Prayer
Father, thank You for opening my eyes to see Christ as my ever-present Lord—not only with me, but in me. I trust that Your presence is not something I chase or wait for, but something I already have. I rest in the truth that Jesus is the revelation of Your heart, and I rejoice that He lives in me now. I walk forward today, not questioning Your nearness, but marveling that You never left. May I live with a childlike simplicity that doesn’t hurt Your heart through anxious striving, but honors You with quiet trust. Amen.