02/04/2024
When the bible speaks of humility the general consensus is that it is speaking of someone who is self-effacing, obedient to God, respects themselves and others, and is also modest, meek, humble, and submissive. My devotional reading today reminded me that "God puts a great price on humility of heart" and that it brings us closer to God. I can honestly say that those times when I have exhibited the greatest humility, and humbled myself the most, have also been the times when I truly felt the hand of God upon me.
“The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.”
Proverbs 22:4
It seems that when we are most humble we are also most vulnerable, and it is then, when we are on the verge of total self-denial, desperation, or nearly broken, that God comes to us on the powerful wings of His mercy and grace to lift us up, comfort us, and love us. Going to our knees in prayer is more than simply asking something of God, it is humbling ourselves before Him, and demonstrating our humility before His throne.
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
James 4:10 NIV
My sons and daughters all played sports, and when they had won a game I celebrated the victory with them, but honestly they really wanted to celebrate with their coaches and teammates over me. However, when they had lost a big game and were humbled, self-effacing, and suffering the disappointment of not being the best had driven them to sit alone in their room or to cry tears of disappointment... those were the occasions when I felt the closest to them and could speak the words and wisdom of a father; words that they would receive with an open heart. These were also the times when my sons would hug me back and my daughters cry in my arms and tell me thank you, and that they loved me. Isn't that true of our relationships with God as well? Aren’t we most open to Him when we need Him to comfort us, and we are feeling humbled by life?
I find it interesting that when everything is wonderful and we are on top of the world, and our game, that there is a tendency to speak to God like a distant friend or with a self-assured "I've got this" attitude. But the moment the wind begins to blow and the storm clouds gather, we fall down at His feet and seek Him with humility as our savior and Father. We are not very different from our young sports playing children are we?
What would happen if at our moments of deep despair and weakness if we showed no humility, and God left us to our own devices? What if, when our children were sitting alone in their room, or crying, we didn't go to them? That is a most dangerous moment, because at the time of our greatest humbling and self-realization, we are also experiencing our greatest vulnerability. If there is a void in our lives then we will seek to fill it... even if it is in a negative way, and Satan, the dark one, is well aware that this is an opportunity for him to win the day. But praise God He doesn't abandon us, and as good parents we too have learned to go to our children in such times.
E.M. Bounds refers to himself with a scriptural quote borrowed from Paul; he calls himself "the chief of sinners" but he also reminds himself that Jesus died for him. He calls this moment "the praying ground." Which is when we are humbling ourselves before God, and this is also the time when our humility opens us up, and something wonderful happens... we find ourselves closer to God. It isn't that God comes closer to us at those particular moments, no, these are the times when we show humility, and allow ourselves to be most receptive of Him. God knows this to be true, and He embraces us. Listen now to Paul as he writes to Timothy about this…
“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”
1 Timothy 1:15
Are we able to admit to ourselves, the world, and to Jesus and our Heavenly Father, that we are not enough alone, but that only the Lord is sufficient for us, and provides our strength? Are we able to abandon our own self-confidence and lean into our Father’s arms? Are we able to pray as we should?
“ Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for taking my pride and the confidence I have in my own self-reliance, and replacing it with the humility and meekness of your Son Jesus Christ. Thank you for teaching me to glorify you above all else, including myself, and all that you have created. Humble me Lord when I look at myself, and believe that I am enough, and sufficient alone to face even the most minute of problems, trials, or situations without you. Bring me to my knees before you when I behave in this manner Father and then comfort me in your loving kindness, mercy, and grace as you show me that only you are sufficient for me. Hear my prayers as I pray them humbly in the name of Jesus, and recognize His meek and yielding nature as I bow my head to you. Hear the meekness of His accent in my prayers because accents are not imitated, but come through repetition and familiarity, and I desire to not only say the words, but speak them as He does. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who was, and is, and is to come, and always lifts me up from my knees and dries my every tear. Great are you in all things, and in everything you are sufficient for me. In you all glory rests now and forever.
“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ESV
Rich Forbes