In Jesus' name 2
(From the testimonies of Emil Nigg's life.)
- "Colonel, I have the impression that your love for Jesus Christ was much deeper than ours." Was this the case at the beginning of your career?
- I have nothing to add to this. I may have needed the Savior more than others. At the beginning of my Salvation Army officer career, I had a foreman who became my role model. Even now, I see him, praying very seriously, leaning on his knees. His prayers and his love for Jesus had a great impact on me, the beginner. On our simple meals, a third chair was also set up, as a symbol, for Him Who We Worshiped: "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest!" The flowers on the table were also in His honor.
-"Has your faith been so humble, so childlike, and perfect from the beginning?"
- No, because I also tried to achieve things on my own, even the closeness of God and His special blessing.
A small example. As an officer student, I spent a night outside in the garden on an old mattress. There I called the Lord and waited for hours for some special manifestation from above. Nothing happened. I had to learn that the Lord must walk us the ways of humiliation before lifting us up, while showing us something of His Glory. Those who say yes to this path and able to walk on it glorifying and worshiping the Lord, will live out what is in Psalm 50:23:
“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”
The path which leads to the deep love of Jesus goes through bending and crushing.
- In your opinion, what is the biggest obstacle to healthy growth in the spiritual life?
- I think, first of all, the “will to do it myself”. We cannot break away from ourselves: "I want to bother with everything myself… etc." - we think.
The Lord often needs time to heal us out of this “will to do it myself”. That was the case with me too. I, too, had to ruin my own effort until the Savior could show me, “It is not you, I am it! I am in you the New Life,” or as the Apostle Paul proved:
"I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Gal.2:20)
"Colonel, it looks like you're optimistic. So cheerful and satisfied. Your flag has never hung on a half mast. Is this a natural tendency?
- "I've never been an optimist, but a Christian is! And that is much more!"
Ever since I realized that 'I am nothing by myself and know nothing before God', and after I found myself before the Savior with this nothing, namely, that that He may be my Life and my Everything, I have had every reason to be merry. I could take all my own and stranger's care in front of the One Who did everything to help us.
God’s word, His wonderful promises, rejoiced me more and more, day by day, and I discovered more and more truths and promises to find cause for praise and thanksgiving. Here we can keep the flag really high.
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Emil Nigg interviews, articles
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