Don't Waste Chase's Life # 2

We will waste Chase’s life if in our time of affliction we distance ourselves from God instead of drawing near to Him.

“Let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4.16) for we have a mighty Savior who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows (Is 53). He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, and our temptations yet was without sin (Heb 4.15). He deals gently with the weak because He Himself is beset with weakness (Heb 5.2). Therefore let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith (Heb 10.22) knowing that our suffering Savior welcomes His suffering children in their time of need.

Many have called this act of “drawing near” communion with God. Among the many was a man named John Owen (1616-1683). Owens experience of communion with God amidst significant trial and affliction is a great example for us. John Owen was a godly father to eleven children and he walked through the valley of weeping with Jesus eleven times - he buried all of his eleven children before he died in 1683. Writing a letter during an illness in 1674 he said to a friend, “Christ is our best friend and ere long will be our only friend. I pray God with all my heart that I may be weary of everything else but converse and communion with Him.” John Owen, enabled by the grace of God embraced trial and affliction in his life so that it drove him into deeper communion with God not away from it. Owen said, “Friendship is most maintained and kept up by visits; and these, the more free and less occasioned by urgent business…” In other words, in the midst of an extremely painful and busy life he made many visits to meet His glorious friend and to think about His greatness.

It is only in God that we will find our supreme comfort during times of suffering and affliction. John Owen drew near to God in the midst of his many journeys through the valley of weeping and he found light, comfort and freedom. God invites us to find and experience the same.

“In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me (Psalm 18.6,19).” If we do not draw near to God in our distress and affliction we will waste Chases’ life.