Into the Cross, Not Just Through It

Just as tea infuses water through steeping, prayer draws life from union with Jesus.

Devotional Credit:

The Cross in Prayer by Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest

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Today, Oswald Chambers draws our attention to the difference between passing through the Cross and living from it. Many believers think of the Cross only as the entry point to salvation, but Chambers points us deeper. We are not merely meant to pass through the Cross, but to remain in it, to be completely identified with Jesus in every area of life. This identification is most vividly experienced in prayer.

Prayer, then, is not a transaction. It is not primarily a request line for blessings or answers. It is communion. It is oneness. As Jesus prayed to the Father for us to be one just as He and the Father are one, we come to realize that true prayer is not about results. It is about relationship. The Cross positions us in the life of Jesus so that prayer is not something we perform, but something we experience through union with Him.

Chambers warns us against frustration in prayer. When we seek answers but not intimacy, we are easily irritated. The hidden cause of such restlessness is our reluctance to truly identify with Jesus in the hidden life of prayer. But when our hearts align with the Father’s through the indwelling Son, we are not here to prove prayer works. We are here to be living witnesses of His grace.

The question remains, do we see prayer as a means to an end, or the expression of our oneness with the risen Jesus? The Cross is not behind us. It is the place where His life is continually expressed through ours.

Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

Come to Me not only in need, but in union. I am not distant. I am in you. My Spirit groans within you with words too deep for speech. You have been crucified with Me, and now I am your life. The closer you come, the more clearly you will hear, not in volume, but in shared life. I draw near to the humble. I lift up those who yield, not those who perform.

Prayer is not the means to get what you want. It is the means by which you know who you are. You are My child. You are My friend. You are one spirit with Me. Do not seek Me only for answers. Seek Me for Myself, and I will give you the wisdom, peace, and rest you already possess in Me.

When your prayers feel dry or unanswered, do not point outward. Draw inward to the truth. You have everything you need for life and godliness. You are complete in Me. Your union with Me is the explanation for your life, not the outcome of your requests. Remain in Me, and My words will remain in you. Ask what aligns with Me, and it shall be done because it flows from our shared heart.

Be still. Know that I am God. Rest in the truth that the Cross did not just bring you to Me. It placed you in Me.

Scripture References: John 16:26, Matthew 6:8, John 17:22–23, Galatians 2:20, Romans 8:26, 2 Peter 1:3, Colossians 2:10, John 15:7, 1 Corinthians 6:17, James 4:8, Psalm 46:10

Real-Life Analogy

Think of a teabag steeping in hot water. The moment it touches the water, change begins, but it is through resting and remaining that the transformation completes. The water and tea become one. You don’t have to shake the cup or stir the bag. You just let it steep.

Likewise, prayer isn’t about shaking the heavens to get a response. It’s about resting in your union with Jesus. His presence infuses your thoughts, emotions, and direction. So today, instead of rushing through a list of needs, sit quietly. Let your heart steep in Him. Whisper, “Lord, I trust You to express Your prayer through me right now, because You live in me and know what I truly need.”

Prayer of Confidence

Lord, thank You for placing me in Yourself. Thank You that I no longer need to chase answers, because I already have Your mind and Your heart within me. You have brought me through the Cross into oneness with You, and now my prayers rise from our shared life, not my striving. I trust You to live Your life of prayer through me today. I rejoice that my very union with You is the answer I seek.