Place of Help

by Oswald Chambers

Chambers provides a vital, unique perspective on the complexities and challenges of our Christian experience.

245 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1989

About the author

Oswald Chambers was born to devout parents in Aberdeen, Scotland. At age 16, Oswald Chambers was baptized and became a member of Rye Lane Baptist Chapel. Even as a teenager, Chambers was noted for his deep spirituality, and he participated in the evangelization of poor occupants of local lodging houses. Oswald married Gertrude in May 1910, and on May 24, 1913, Gertrude gave birth to their only child, Kathleen. In 1915, a year after the outbreak of World War I, Chambers was accepted as a YMCA chaplain. He was assigned to Zeitoun, Cairo, Egypt, where he ministered to Australian and New Zealand troops, who later participated in the Battle of Gallipoli. Soon his wooden-framed "hut" was packed with hundreds of soldiers listening attentively to his messages. Confronted by a soldier who said, "I can't stand religious people," Chambers replied, "Neither can I." Chambers was stricken with appendicitis on October 17, 1917 but resisted going to a hospital on the grounds that the beds would be needed by men wounded in the long-expected Third Battle of Gaza. On October 29th, a surgeon performed an emergency appendectomy, but Chambers died November 15, 1917 from a hemorrhage of the lungs. He was buried in Cairo with full military honors. Gertrude, for the remainder of her life published books and articles for him edited from the notes she had taken in shorthand from his sermons. Most successful of the thirty books was, "My Utmost for His Highest", which has never been out of print and has been translated into 39 languages.

Reviews

[J.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing Bible study book. I read a section each morning (most mornings) and highlight sentences and paragraphs that convict or encourage me. Every single page is blotched with yellow!

Somehow it affects me deeply that the last several sermons in this book were among the last Chambers preached while he was ministering to WWI soldiers at the YMCA in Zeitoun, Egypt. Within weeks of that final sermon, he was at home with the Lord, and Biddy carried on his ministry for the rest of her life. I hope they both know how their faithful labors have blessed me and countless other people during this past century!

Every day, I am reminded that Jesus is what matters. Not my service, my endeavors, my plans, my words--only His work through me will endure. I might wish I had learned this years ago, but God's timing is perfect! May rivers of His living water flow through me and into this parched world!

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made its way to my library in 2007 but I’ve just now read it. As others have done, I made it a daily devotional.
It has been moving, inspiring, encouraging, convicting and more.

In the last entry Chambers says something worth remembering for every follower of Christ and I believe his works remain because he lived out his instructions to us:

“Don’t try to find out whether you are a blessing, pay attention to the source, then out of you will flow rivers of living water that you know nothing about.“

This book has a been a blessing. You should read it too!

[Andy]

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