““Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Deuteronomy 8:11-14 NAS95S)
Pride is the combination of disobedience and blessings. Pride is when we think our blessings entitle us to be somebody, to chart our own course, and to make our own rules.
In contrast, humility is born in obedience. Humility is when we trust that commandments of God are a greater blessing than the possessions He provides. As the Lord says earlier in the text, Manna was given to Israel that they might know and understand
“that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:4)
A couple of years ago I was calling pastors around Rocky Mountain Conference to invite them to The Gathering, a prayer retreat held at Glacier View Ranch. As I was speaking with Ted Williams, He made a comment which came back to my mind this morning. He said something to the effect of, “Jim, we both face the challenge of remaining humble; of not thinking we are in charge or in control. It is a continual challenge to surrender our pride to Jesus.”
Amen to that!
It seems that every time I find myself progressing in the spiritual journey, I want to tell somebody. “Hey look at what God did!” But mixed in there somewhere with the “Look at what God did,” is a bit of “Look at what I did!”
Wow! Am I really ready to let Him get all the glory? Am I ready to trust in His word alone? To trust that it is enough to be “accepted in the beloved?” To trust that it is enough to behold this mysterious manner of love that calls me his son (1 John 3:1)?
Prayer: Lord Jesus I am humbled this morning by Your word. A word which calls me to obedience. A word which calls me to remember that I am Yours and You are mine. O Jesus, humble me, help me be in a right place with you.
Humble Me
Cheri Keaggy
Humble me
Help me be
In a right place with You
Where I look in Your face
And I’m touched by Your grace
And I see You for who You are
Humble me
Help me be
In a right place with You
Where my heart can rejoice
At the sound of Your voice
And I know You for who You are
A holy God, full of glory
Full of love for me
A loving God, full of mercy
In Your will is where I want to be
