Legacy

          Oswald Chambers was a Briton who served as a chaplain to British soldiers at a camp in Egypt during World War I. He died in November of 1917 of peritonitis that was caused by appendicitis that went undetected. He was only 43 years of age at the time and left behind his wife Gertrude and a young daughter named Kathleen. Chambers is perhaps best known for his collection of devotional writings entitled “My Utmost For His Highest.” Numerous other books bear his name as well.

          Would you be surprised to learn that Oswald Chambers never wrote a book? How can that be, you ask? In turns out that Gertrude and Kathleen Chambers are the ones responsible for the continued influence of Oswald Chambers in the lives of so many believers. Mrs. Chambers had become very proficient at shorthand as a young woman. After their marriage, Gertrude made it her habit to write down everything Oswald said as he ministered in preaching and teaching. Following his death, she took it upon herself to publish what she had copied down. Prior to her own death in 1966, Gertrude Chambers had typed thirty one volumes of Oswald’s words, and was working on the thirty second. Kathleen Chambers then took it upon herself to carry on the legacy (source: Sherwood E. Wert, “Their Utmost For His Highest,” Christianity Today, June 21, 1974).

          Reading this story made me think of others whose influence reaches beyond the grave. Like Abel. The Hebrew writer tells us that he “...offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4).

          We need to start planting the seeds of our ongoing work now! It could be that our greatest impact on the world will be felt after we have left it. If we are faithful to our calling, those we leave behind will be able to multiply our efforts as well.

God loves you!

Mike