The O.C. and OC

I missed the final show of the Fox TV series The O.C. But before you condemn my choice of viewing vacuous entertainment, the show did keep me current on “cool” alternative music, and gave me something culturally relevant (so to speak) to speak with young people I encounter from time to time in my work. I guess not enough old people trying to be cool, or young people who finally figured out The O.C. (Orange County) wasn’t that cool, watched so alas the show and its characters are fading into the California sunset where the tans are real but the body parts are mostly fake.

One O.C. down, but there is an OC that has remained a constant and consistent influence for Christians for close to 100 years. The OC I now refer to is Oswald Chambers, noted scholar and teacher whose posthumously published devotion (My Utmost for His Highest) remains one of the most beloved devotions of all time. His teaching ended in 1918 when he died at the age of 42 in Egypt of appendicitis. In the providence and provision of the Lord, his wife had faithfully and carefully been attending all his lectures and transcribing them verbatim. His wisdom was then preserved, and able to influence generations to come - especially those in the mission field. When World War broke out, Chambers already a noted pastor and theologian in England, felt called to teach those chaplains going into the foreign mission field following the troops to change and save, the world.

His words influence me everyday in the field and out of the field. Many of his teachings speak on the suffering of the world and the unpopular war men and women of his time were facing.

“There is nothing new under the sun” Ecc 1:9

Oswald Chambers offers timeless wisdom. There will always be suffering too big, in spite of our best efforts, to alleviate. There will always be politics to disagree with, and situation that enrage passions on both sides of the proverbial fence. But the God we serve both at home and abroad, is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Heb 13:8)

I remain passionate about His answer.