Learning Humility I

"From the moment I awake, I've learned to make statements to God about my dependence upon God, and in this way I'm humbling myself before God."  So writes C.J. Mahaney in his book, Humility: True Greatness (p. 69).  The focus, the constant focus, is the cross of Christ.  The death of Christ on my behalf.  "Far from offering us flattery, the cross undermines our self-righteousness, and we can stand before it only with a bowed head and a broken spirit."  (John Stott, The Cross of Christ, p.12)

So, as I'm exercising practical steps toward humility this morning, I invite you to join me in acknowledging your need of God, and only God.  Are you wholly, humbly in need?  I have a hard time getting to that place in the lap of so many good things, but I must. 

In coming to the book of Leviticus this morning I am asking: God, make me your under-rower today.  Make me the one under the ship who puts his whole back into it, pleasing the Master, unconcerned about the direction, trusting You with the goal.  Give me the heart of one who serves because I am served; one who loves, because I am loved; one who gives freely because I freely receive.  Change me until the only part of me that exists is You."

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14

Putting the Extra into Ordinary

Simon Estes is singing in my kitchen as I write!  Yesterday Grace turned on the CD player and it about blasted her out of the room.  "Mom!  Were you rockin' out in the kitchen?"
"No, I just cranked up Mr. Estes so he could help me do housework."

Mr. Estes came to our high school last Friday and Saturday.  Our older children had the opportunity to listen to and interact with him at an all-school assembly Friday afternoon.  Saturday night Matthew sang in the choir as Mr. Estes joined us and I had the privilege of accompanying them.  Now, as I listen to his album of spirituals, I continue to be touched by messages of equality, angst, Providence and hope.  We were also blessed by his guest, Chris Johnson, who chose selections that took any focus off himself and emphasized the goodness of God.

God has groomed Simon Estes to be a man of gentleness, deep reverence, humility and uncanny excellence.  All credit and appreciation for his gifts are redirected to God, the Giver of all good things.  I cannot put into words the fullness of participating alongside him, receiving his thanks, and bowing hand-in-hand to the appreciation of the audience.

David Roper, in his book, A Man to Match the Mountain, describes Jesus as a beautiful man full of grace and truth.  "Everything he did was truthful, and yet He was unfailingly gracious."  Simon Estes represented Christ in this same way.  May we remember that, "True goodness is not doing extraordinary things.  It is doing ordinary things in an extraordinary way." (Roper, Seeing God, p. 129). Most of us will never have a platform like Simon Estes, but our daily lives can reflect the grace and truth of God in the integrity of our decisions.  It is not what is seen that makes a man, but what is unseen.

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them.  If you do, you will have not reward from your Father in heaven." (Matthew 6:1)

Rest

After checking in on Tara Barthel's blog, Considerable Grace, I am ashamed of not being more faithful and diligent here.  Thanks, Tara, the the inspiration!

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours writing to an inmate about his desire to be baptized.  The question he had was whether or not baptism is necessary for salvation.  It is a great question that led me to write more than the usual one-page letter.*  As Scripture came to mind, I was reminded of what an amazing God we serve.  There is nothing we, as faulted humans, can do to merit God's favor.

Titus says this, "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:4-7

While reading the Psalms, I became aware of the disparity between what God does and what He calls us to do.  So, even in the passage from Titus, I have started to mark my Bible differentiating what God does and what He has called me to do.  Surprisingly, there is very little for me to contribute.  To rewrite the above passage with that emphasis would look like this:

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

In that passage, there is nothing we contribute.  Our calling, then, is to humble ourselves and push our own agenda aside in light of God's grace.  F.B. Meyer said it this way, "We must remember to maintain within our hearts the spirit of Sabbath calm and peace, not fussy, not anxious, nor fretful nor impetuous; refraining our feet from own paths, our hand from our own devices, refusing to make our own joy and do our own works.  It is only when we are fully resolved to act thus, allowing God to originate His own plans and to work in us for their accomplishment that we enter into rest."

David Roper adds to this, "What keeps us from entering into God's rest?  Unbelief.  Underlying all our worry and compulsive self-effort is the thought that God cannot or will not come through." (Seeing God, p.111)

Even if it's not Sunday, are you enjoying the Sabbath rest God promises His people?  Are you resting in God's work in and through you?  Or are you striving to work for Him, to accomplish self-imposed demands and goals?  May God bless you with complete, full days as He extends Himself through you to your immediate family, to His Body, and those who are lost, watching and waiting.

*If you have a burden for inmates who desire to know God, investigate Crossroads Bible Institute and how to become an instructor.