I have been doing a bit of self-examination of my heart lately, basing it off of all that I've learned in Isaiah and the pride that over-took the hearts of those people...pride is something I never really thought I had a problem with pride, and usually, the things that you think are not a problem, are. And although I don't go around boasting with my mouth, I hold things in my heart that say, "Wow, I'm pretty good!" And I carry that attitude with me. Now there is a difference between saying, "The Lord has blessed with me a gift, I'm thankful for it, and I will use to His glory..." and " I'm really good at stuff." Paul had this problem too...He was wise man, and after his miraculous conversion on the Road to Damascus, I'm sure he had moments of "Wow, God must think I'm pretty awesome to single me out and transform me in such a great way..." and being that he was a young scholarly man, he went out to preach the name of the Lord, however, He did this in His own power and failed miserably. He ended up getting pursued by an official of the city he was in, and had to escape through being lowered in a basket, down a wall to escape. A cowards escape. But, after his escape, it caused him to reevaluate who he was relying on, and why he was doing what he was doing. Sure, He had all the requirements of a philosopher or a wise religious man, that's what he new how to do best! But that was not what God had in store for him. God thought that Paul would make a great evangelist, but God wanted Paul to do it on God's terms, so He gave Paul the cover of "tent maker" and then, sent Paul out as someone in rags and sandals, rather than a greatly dressed, well known prophet of the Lord. Humbling isn't it? And yet, when we say, "Lord your will for me, not mine..." We have to mean it. ( And in the end, Paul is quoted and his story is renown, but it is because God made Him so..)
SO what is the matter truly, with just having some pride? I mean, it doesn't feel like out of all the sins to choose from, that one is that bad right? Well, I'm here to tell you, the Lord hates pride. He tells His people this in Isaiah 2:11 that " The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and the pride of men brought low."
He is a God of glory. He is a God is created you, your gifts and your abilities. (me too) and in that, if we take up our place at the place of glory, on that final day, He will not be pleased, and frankly, I don't want to be caught on that final day saying anything of my own abilities. And again, we cannot fake being humble. Trust me, I've tried. And I stink at it. Have you ever met a truly humble person? Someone who just genuinely knows they are nothing without God? I have, and I love being with them. They are so beautiful to be around, and their spirits just draw others to them because it's so refreshing to be around someone who doesn't think their all that and a bag of chips. I guess it's all about the refinement process right? We don't start as gold, we start as coal...or sometimes fools gold, but by the end of the process, when God has done His great work in our lives we hopefully shine and shimmer, and others are drawn to us by our simple beauty that has occurred by no act of our own.
So why is it so important that we reach this place of humble acknowledgement of our prideful state? Because it matters for eternity, and what we do on earth, affects our end, and when Christ returns on "that day" and looks at us, what would we want Him to say of us? I only want to hear two words, "well done." And anything short of that, is less than what we were ought to be here on earth. We have a job here on earth my friends, it may feel like "your way, your life, your accomplishments" and I guess you can make it that, but if you do, and this is what your life (and my life) is about, then that's all we get. Were done after that, and death brings nothing but death. In stark contrast, the life lived in humble acceptance of what God's plans for us are gives birth to life everlasting on the day of our death, and it also brings much glory to Him as we live.
I know it's a lot to think about, and it certainly causes one to reexamine just what they've been doing lately, either for Christ or for themselves...but for myself...when I consider my "ministry" I have to know this: It's only by grace that we enter, only by grace we can come. Not by our human endeavors, but by the blood of the lamb. Grace, grace, God's grace. The only thing that can cleans and pardon our sin. Nothin but the blood, nothing but the blood of Jesus.
There is no room for "I" in all of that, and if I try to spell my name into the place of glory I will find number one, that it doesn't fit very well, looks out of place, and at some point, someone is going to say, "that's not right..." Know what I mean?
Let me finish by saying this, and I quote Peter...
"These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1Peter 1:7
In you, Jesus Christ can be revealed to others, and on that final day He will say "well done."
Oh, that this may be my story...someday.
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