Day 27
James 4:10 NIV
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James 4:10 – Message
Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.
Personal Paraphrase
Go lower, for it is in that place that God can take you higher. Take the place of least desire so God can give you the place He desires.
When you choose the towel and basin, God can trust you with nations. No one enjoys the road of humility, but it is the road that leads to honour. According to Proverbs, humility ushers the way for the king. It is only through choosing the way of sacrifice and what others might see as lower, that God can trust you with the greater things of the kingdom. The guy with the towel and basin was King. If the King of kings can embrace humility and suffering. If the King of kings can wash my feet, going lower is the only way for me to go. For he said, I am the way. This implies if you want to know directions, follow me. Many times we try to avoid the way He took, but He is the way. Therefore, I choose to follow.
What does this look like in Freda’s life? This is difficult, for it can look like many different things, but it could start with serving. It might be for me holding an orphan in Africa or it could be helping my neighbour. It might be walking with a family in a moment of uncertainty or loving the one others pass by. It can have many faces, but probably the hardest one for me is when it comes to laying down my right and my will for the sake of another. We all want our comforts and an easy road, but the humble road is not easy. Yet, it is this road that builds us to be trusted with things we otherwise could not be trusted with. It brings life.
Comments(3)
Jim Holmes says:
January 31, 2014 at 1:26 pmHumble yourself….and He will lift you up. From our earthly standards of being humble…I first thought is being humbled in the presence of someone great. However, we are not being humbled by another, but to humble oneself. God calls us to actively take a humble position on our part before Him. It is taking a low position then one presently has. Jesus humbled Himself before His Father to the extent that he not only became man, but one who was slaughtered as a sin bearer.
Read with me from Phil.2: 1-8 …how that Jesus humbled himself, and that we too are to be like-minded…
“If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Jesus showed us how to live, and the picture presented in 2:1-8 above, tells us to be likeminded…to let this mind be in us as it was in Christ Jesus…and then goes on to tell us how Jesus humbled Himself. Note in the passage in James how it says that God would lift us up if we do so. In Phil. 2, it begins with “IF” , that…we have the mind of Christ…and humble ourselves….we would be lifted up: in this manner…having consolation in Christ, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit, bowels and mercy.
It is humbling, to be of one accord (not as you personally would will on your own) and mind. It is humbling to esteem others better than yourself. It is humbling to disregard one’s own things for the betterment of another. It is humbling to make oneself of no reputation. It is humbling to become a servant, not being served. It is humbling to die for another…to “be crucified with Christ” …to be lifted up in the humiliation of it…
It eternal humbling to receive what we do not deserve…for by grace we are lifted up…God lifting you up…seating you in heavenly places in Christ Jesus…born again…having eternal life in His Son.
Pat McRae says:
February 1, 2014 at 12:06 amMy Message Bible says: Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.
My paraphrase: Pat get serious about your walk with God. Check your heart attitude, is it prideful, boasting; or grateful fully reliant on God? When you Pat come humbly before God with gratitude in your heart and praise in your mouth you will find God will lift you up.
I have heard it said in God’s kingdom the way up is down. But I believe it has nothing to do with your physical position but more with your heart attitude. I can be flat on my face but in my heart I can think I have arrived, done a great job and everyone knows it.
Am I truly humble enough to set aside my agenda, my desire to be great to walk in someone else’s agenda allowing them to receive the praise? Am I willing to not be noticed, overlooked, rejected for a much deserved promotion? Can I say it doesn’t matter?
Well to be honest I am still in the process. Today no problem I can truly say I love your plan and yes to serving you as your plan goes forward. But tomorrow I may not be able to step aside, to allow a heart of gratitude and a mouth filled with praise shine. No you will likely find me grumbling, complaining and asking that WHY? question.
Lord You see my heart and You know when I have bowed it down so You can be glorified and when it is puffed up wanting the spotlight. Help me Holy Spirit to recognize when I am lifting me up. Father I want a heart that seeks You and Your Ways; that rejoices in who You have made me to be. I want to truly walk humbly before You each and every moment of my life.
Susan Craig says:
February 1, 2014 at 12:11 amMake a choice-humble yourself- like Jesus did-Jesus humbled Himself-He made a choice-Let this MIND be in you which was also in Jesus-who THOUGHT equality with God was not something to be grasped but let go of His position and MADE HIMSELF of no reputation,HUMBLED HIMSELF and was made in the likeness of man. And He didn’t stop there,He humbled himself further and became OBEDIENT unto death and became the sacrifice for our sins on the cross. Jesus made a choice. He made up His mind.He made a decision. He lowered himself-He left glory to come to earth as one of us. We will not truely understand what He willingly gave up until we actually reach glory ourselves-then we will see just how much Jesus sacrificed willingly for us and we will be eternally thankful for all he accomplished for us!! The point I am making is that being humble is a choice- it is making up your mind-it is an act of the will-it is laying it all down on the altar. It is sacrificing pleasures/treasures today in exchange for being exalted by God later. The result of Jesus’ humbling and his obedience was to be highly exalted by God and given a name above every other name-that everyone will bow to!! God will lift the humble up in due time-just as He has lifted Jesus up! The choice is mine-do I want to live for today-for temporary gratifications-and in the process sacrifice an eternity in glory or am I willing to live sacrificially today with eternity in mind/Heaven as my goal. Humble,obedient servanthood is the road less travelled in life that leads to eternity with our Savior in glory!! We have a choice-what will it be???
PS-I want to add an example of one servant of the Lord, that I know well, who chooses to own very little in the line of material wealth-who works hard and gives most of his money away to others who he feels need it more than him. One who feels the pain of others and supports them in whatever way he can-he puts himself out for others who live on the streets and speaks to them of hope in God who loves and cares about them. This is but one example of a humble servant living for God. There are many more similar stories that I am sure could be told of people of God who give their all for Jesus.
The questions I have– How much have I been willing to sacrifice for the kingdom of God?? Can I sacrifice more?? Am I putting too many limits on what I will allow God to do through me?? How much lower do I need to go??What am I holding unto that I need to let go of before God can use me in a mighty way for Him??