In The Spiritual Life by Andrew Murray (p.232-233), we read these comments on 2Timothy 1:12: "We do not understand how literally and how absolutely God wants to have us for Himself. Just as I cannot fill a vessel unless the vessel is absolutely empty and at my disposal, so God cannot fill us with Himself and the divine life unless we make ourselves utterly empty of everything, and unless we come and give ourselves entirely and unreservedly into His hands. Are you willing? Remember, it will not work if you keep anything back."
"Perhaps you have heard the story of a rich English lady who had a splendid box of jewelry--diamonds and rings and pearls. She was planning to travel on the European continent, so she went to a friend, saying, 'This is a very valuable box of jewelry, and I am afraid of leaving it in the house when I am away, in case it might be stolen. Will you keep it for me while I am gone?' Her friend agreed to take charge of the jewels. Then, still in the presence of her friend, the rich woman took out five of the thirty or forty articles in the box, to be used when traveling. The box was locked and handed to the friend, and the lady went away."
"After a couple of months, the woman came to her friend and asked for her box of jewelry. And the friend said, 'Here it is, but where are the things you took with you?'
"The rich lady replied, 'I am sorry to say that they got stolen; I have lost them.' All she trusted to the friend was safe, and all that she took charge of herself was lost. It is the same way with us. All that we try to keep in our own hands and manage ourselves gets lost. Try to take charge of your tongue; you will fail, and you will sin. Try to control your temper by your own strength; you will fail, and you will sin. Everything you try to keep charge of yourself you will lose, but come and bring everything into the keeping of Jesus, and you can be assured that He will never fail you."
