11/14/2025 – The Full Assurance of Faith: “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” Hebrews 10:39 / Read about Biddy Chambers, the messenger. (below)
Devotion link:
https://utmost.org/classic/today/#
Interesting: I don’t think I have had a devotion of Oswald Chambers before, where I had to reread so much in order to fit all the pieces into a synergistic (*) cohesive whole. (* synergy – the whole is greater than the sum of the parts). But if I had to pick one sentence that points to that: “Never believe that the so called random events of life are anything less than God’s appointed order.” And let me add the following sentence: “Be ready to discover His divine designs anywhere and everywhere.”
This ties into what I reflected on once again: “It is good that I will have all of eternity to fully understand our LORD, because that is how long it will take me!’
Perhaps I am being remiss here by presenting the link to the devotion instead of from the devotion book itself. But either way, Oswald’s wife, Biddy, compiled the book after his death. How did she do that? It was all from the copious notes she took in shorthand, sitting in the pews, listening to Oswald’s sermon. It is not about the messengers, but I will share an excerpt below the result from searching on Biddy in duckduckgo.com :
“Oswald Chambers’ wife was Gertrude Hobbs, affectionately known as “Biddy.” She played a crucial role in his ministry, taking extensive notes of his teachings and later compiling them into the well-known devotional “My Utmost for His Highest” after his death. Wikipedia Ginger Harrington
Overview of Biddy Chambers
Biddy Chambers, born Gertrude Annie Hobbs in 1884, was the wife of Oswald Chambers, a prominent Scottish Baptist evangelist. She played a crucial role in his ministry and legacy.
Early Life and Education
- Birth: 1884, England
- Health: Suffered from bronchitis as a child, limiting her schooling.
- Skills: Excelled in shorthand, achieving a speed of 250 words per minute.
Marriage and Ministry
- Meeting Oswald: Biddy met Oswald Chambers in 1905. They developed a friendship that led to their marriage on May 24, 1910.
- Role: As Lady Superintendent of the Bible Training College in London, she took extensive notes of Oswald’s lectures, which later became foundational for his published works.
Contributions After Oswald’s Death
- Widowhood: After Oswald’s death in 1917, Biddy returned to England with their daughter, Kathleen.
- Publishing: She compiled and published 30 books based on her notes, including the well-known devotional My Utmost for His Highest, which has remained in print for decades.”
Legacy
Biddy Chambers is recognized not only for her support of Oswald’s ministry but also for her own significant contributions to Christian literature and her resilience in the face of adversity.”
So, thoughts? Isn’t Biddy’s sermon note-taking an example of this devotional: “Discovering Divine Design”? It has been a century since their death, but just think of the kingdom benefit to lost souls, still going on to this day!
Soli Deo Gloria!