pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: humility


by Leave a comment

Antidotes

Readings: 1st Kings 1, 1st Kings 2, 1st Kings 3, 1st Kings 4

1st Kings 2:3 – “Guard what is owed to the LORD your God, walking in his ways and observing his laws… commands… judgments… testimonies.”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

As 1st Kings opens David is failing. A beautiful young woman, Abishag, is brought in to care for David. Sensing an opportunity, Adonijah gathers support from Joab the general and Abiathar the priest and declares himself king. Nathan and Bathsheba respond quickly to establish Solomon as the king. David makes it happen. Adonijah’s support disappears.

David then speaks to Solomon. He instructs him to be strong. He then instructs him to be faithful, saying, “Guard what is owed to the LORD your God, walking in his ways and observing his laws… commands… judgments… testimonies.” Obey God and it will go well. Oh, and by the way, take care of Joab and Shimei. David then dies and Solomon follows orders. Adonijah asks to marry Abishag. This potential power move costs him his life as Benaiah murders him. Abiathar is then banished from the priesthood and from Jerusalem. Eli’s family is now fully removed. Joab dies next, also at Benaiah’s hands. Shimei is placed under house arrest. After two years he breaks his pledge and also pays with his life.

In chapter 3 God comes to Solomon in a dream and says, “Ask whatever you wish.” After remembering God’s loyalty and kindness to his father, Solomon acknowledges that he is young, inexperienced, and doesn’t know it all. So he asks God for a discerning mind to govern well. God is pleased. Solomon will be abundantly wise. Plus he will have fame and riches. And a very long life – if he is obedient to God. Solomon’s wisdom is demonstrated in the case of the two prostitutes. News of his wisdom grows and spreads.

Chapter 4 marks the high point of Solomon’s reign. His administration is vast. The population explodes and life is good. They eat, drink, and celebrate and there is peace. Abundance is the word of the day. It is also the other edge of the sword. It can lead to dangerous places. It can be a trap for us as well. Humility and obedience to God are the antidotes.

Prayer: Lord God, things are going great for Solomon – if one overlooks the murder and revenge and the accumulation of great overabundance. We know the dangers and trappings of these things. Yet we can also struggle with them. So, Lord, guide us by the power of your Holy Spirit; keep our focus on you and on walking in your ways. Help us to be strong and to be faithful. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Moving Forward

Readings: Numbers 15, Numbers 16, Numbers 17, Numbers 18

Numbers 18:29 – “You will present each gift offering to the LORD from all your gifts, from its best portions and its holiest parts.”

On the heels of choosing fear over faith and being doomed to wander the wilderness for 40 years, in chapter 15 God details the offerings to be given when they do enter the Promised Land. The wander is clearly a detour. God has a plan. So God reviews the offerings required for unintentional sins. God is clear that there is no reconciliation offering for deliberate or intentional sin. They are cut off. In the next chapter we will see what that looks like. The chapter closes with instructions to place blue fringes on all of their clothing. Blue represents holy. The fringes will remind them of the commitment to their holy God.

Chapter 16 contains challenges to Moses and to Aaron. Korah and his Levite clan want more power. Dathan and Abiram think Moses has too much power. Korah and his family are gathered. God plans to consume Korah’s entire household. Moses intercedes for the innocents. God relents. Dathan and Abiram refuse to appear before Moses. They and their families are swallowed up by the earth. Korah and his 250 followers are consumed by God’s fire. The community grumbles against these deaths and therefore against Moses and God. God sends a plague. Moses sends Aaron out into the community to stop the plague. Aaron stands between the dead and the living, halting the plague.

To reiterate God’s call on Aaron, the staffs of the 12 tribal leaders are gathered and placed with Aaron’s staff before the chest. Aaron’s staff buds, revealing God’s choice. The people lament. For now they fail to see the humility required to be in God’s presence. Today’s readings close with priestly duties and their compensation. It mostly reiterates earlier instructions but also adds a requirement of the priests. Since they belong to the Lord they will not be given a land inheritance. Instead they will receive the tenth of the crops and herds given to the Lord. In turn God will require them to give 1/10 of this to the Lord as their gift offering. It is to be “from its best portions.” May we too return to the Lord a portion from the best of our blessings.

Prayer: Lord God, in spite of the Israelites’ disobedience and rebellion and sin you keep the plan moving forward. You see and know the end results. In our lives we disobey and rebel and sin. You continue to work in our lives as well, leading and guiding, shaping and forming us into who and what you call us to be. In response, may we gratefully give our best to you in all situations. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Paying It Back

Reading: Matthew 22:15-22

Verse 20: “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

Today we return to the teaching about paying taxes. In our time together yesterday we considered how we ourselves bear and reflect the image of God. The question we ended with was: How do we give to God what is God’s? This question asks us to wrestle with how or what we give back to God, drawing from the time, talents, and resources that God has given to us. Our response to this question either deepens or lessens our relationship with God. But it also affects our relationships with one another. That is our focus today.

To hear and understand that we are created in and bear the image of God leads us to the realization that this is true for others too. It is true for our parents, for our spouses and significant others, for our children… It is also true for that difficult neighbor, for that busybody coworker, for that stranger on the street corner… Often it is harder to treat those such as these the same way we would treat our family or close friends.

Yet the reality is that these too bear the image of God. They too were woven together in the womb by God’s hands. So when we next encounter that neighbor or coworker or stranger or… we will once again have a choice. We can treat them as the world does – ignoring, fighting back, getting even. Or we can treat them as God treats us. We can take the blessings of love, kindness, humility… and pay them back to God by paying them forward to that neighbor, coworker, stranger… May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, when I encounter the other, may I first see you in them. Through that lens, help me to be generous and welcoming, compassionate and caring. And, then Lord, help me to see me – the old me. Through this lens, help me to then offer the love and grace poured out so abundantly in my life. Amen.


by Leave a comment

The Love of God

Reading: Philippians 2:1-13

Verse 3: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

Paul opens this section on imitating Christ’s Humility by reminding those in the church of the encouragement, fellowship, tenderness, and compassion that they receive from Christ. These gifts draw the church together. These gifts power unity and connection. Paul invites the followers of Christ to “be one in spirit and purpose.” Is Paul inviting us to be one with Christ or one with each other? The answer is “both!”

To that end Paul gives this directive in verse 3: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” Paul is really encouraging us to be like Jesus. Now, for Jesus, this was a very intentional choice. Jesus could calm the sea and restore someone to life. He could heal diseases, brokenness, and slavery to sin. He could chat with Moses and Elijah and he could rain down power from above. If anyone had the ability to pursue selfish ambition or had the accolades to be conceited, it was Jesus. But instead Jesus chose the role of humble servant. He chose to put God above all else and to place others needs above his own. We are called to this one purpose and spirit.

What made it possible for Jesus to walk daily in full obedience to God? What empowered Jesus to live out the role of humble servant? It was love. The love of God for all of creation flowed throughout Jesus’ whole being. This love found worth in all he met. This love elevated the other above self. It focused his life on living out God’s will and purpose. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, fill me with your love. May that love first lead me to give my heart, soul, mind, and strength to you. From there, Lord, may that love lead me to pour self out for others, covering them in your love. Guide me in your ways, O God. Use me for your purposes. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Humility and Obedience

Reading: Philippians 2:5-13

Verse 8: “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!”

Our Epistle reading carries the title “Imitating Christ’s Humility” in my Bible. In verse 5 we are invited to have the same attitude as Jesus Christ. Then, in verses 6-11, Paul quotes an early Christian hymn that wonderfully describes Jesus’ humility and obedience. It begins with the reminder that Jesus laid aside infinite power and glory to become “nothing” as he took on “the very nature of a servant.” Jesus became human. Moving on we read, “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!” Though excruciatingly painful, Jesus took the nails for you and for me. It was God’s solution to our arrogance and disobedience. Jesus lived out God’s plan for his life. Our call is to live with this same attitude.

Because Jesus was humble and obedient, God “exalted him to the highest place.” Jesus rose to resume his place at God’s right hand. In response to Jesus returning to this rightful place of power and glory, every knee should bow at his name and every tongue should confess, declaring that “Jesus is Lord!” That is the correct and just response. But because of our arrogance and disobedience, many choose not to make this declaration. This is a sad but real choice that many people make.

Paul encourages us to make a better choice. In verse 12 he urges us to “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Faith is an ongoing process that involves a holy and revenant attitude towards Jesus as Lord. When in humility and obedience we choose to live this way, we experience God’s work in our lives and we live according to God’s “good purposes.” God has a plan for our lives too. Like Christ, may we choose to surrender our life to God’s good plan.

Prayer: Lord God, give me the courage to live counter-culturally. Give me the strength to choose humility and obedience in a world that preaches the opposite. And give me the power to live out your plans, revealing to the world that Jesus is indeed Lord of all. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Sing a New Song

Reading: Psalm 149

Verse 4: “The Lord takes delight in God’s people; God crowns the humble with victory.”

Like many of the Psalms, 149 calls us to praise the Lord. God is so good to us in so many ways. Praise is a natural response to these blessings. The psalmist invites us to “sing a new song.” This reflects the beliefs that God is present and that God blesses us each day – therefore we have something new to sing about every day!

We are encouraged to rejoice and be glad in our God and king. We are invited to praise God with dancing and with music. There is a joy in today’s Psalm that beckons us into a place of joy too. The joy is not just ours, though. We are reminded that God delights in us, that we bring God joy. In response, God desires to crown the humble with salvation. Humility is a necessary part of truly praising God with all that we are. Without humility we reserve part of the praise for ourselves.

Today’s invitation to joy and to praise and to offer our thanksgiving to God is also an invitation to revisit yesterday’s focus on the personal times that God has drawn near and has touched our lives. These are occasions for song and praise and rejoicing. Today let us sing a new song of praise to the Lord!

Prayer: Lord God, beautiful singing might not be my gift, yet my prayer can be a song to you. In joy and praise and thanks I lift my voice to you, O maker of heaven and earth, O giver of all good things. Thank you for the many ways that you touch my life and encourage my faith. Amen.


by Leave a comment

His Hope for Us Too

Reading: Matthew 16:21-23

Verse 23: “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Right after Peter’s amazing declaration of Jesus as the Messiah, I wonder if the disciples high-fived one another and got all excited – like rabid fans before the big game. Among the 12 were 2 zealots and probably 10 others who longed to see Rome sent home with her tail between her legs. The disciples, like 99.9% of the Jewish population, dreamed of being a great and powerful nation once again. We recall that Jesus ended that last messianic conversation with the stern warning not to tell anyone that Jesus is the Messiah. Tempering the emotions and expectations of the masses is never easy. A crowd can go from zero to 100 in a moment. (See the Palm Sunday passages.)

Jesus begins to temper the disciples’ messianic expectations by God explaining what his last few days will actually look like. He tells them that he will “suffer many things” and that he will be killed. Then he says, but on the third day he will be “raised to life.” All of this must’ve felt crushing and simply impossible to the disciples – especially the last part about rising to life after being killed. Jesus, dead is dead. There is no going back.

Peter can’t make any sense of it. He probably didn’t want to either. That’s why he reacts as he does, saying, “Never, Lord!” Peter thought he was being brave and courageous. He thought he knew better than Jesus. Jesus does not think so. He sharply redirects Peter’s thinking, inviting him away from “merely human concerns” and into “the concerns of God.” Peter, the rock, will get there.

That is Jesus’ hope for us too. We can easily lose our kingdom of God focus and regress into the ways of the kingdom of the world. Self can easily slip ahead of Jesus as the one who ruled the roost. In these moments when we begin to teeter – and we will – may we remember that Jesus is the king of love not hate, of humility not greatness, of peace not competition and comparison. May this be our king, our Lord, our Savior.

Prayer: Lord God, the things and ways of this world can so easily become a stumbling block. Soon enough we’ve fallen and are all bruised and broken. By the power of your Holy Spirit, intervene and intercede in our lives. Lead and guide us to walk in the way that leads to abundant life. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Love Creation

Reading: Psalm 8

Verse 4: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”

Photo credit: Falaq Lazuardi

Psalm 8 is a song of praise that calls us to praise God. It begins and ends with the refrain, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.” In between these bookends David recognizes both the amazing creation all around us and the connection that we have to that creation.

David identifies God’s handiwork in the heavens – “the work of your fingers.” Staring up on a clear night, taking in the cast array of stars each known by name, one is awestruck, moved, amazed. This is just one way that we can and do connect to God through creation. It can also come in the intricacy of a spider web or in the beauty of a flower or waterfall or in the power of a thunderstorm or… God is present in so many ways in the creation.

Then, in verse 4, David asks an awesome question: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” This question makes me pause. It brings to mind both times when I have been 1 in a crowd of a million and times when I’ve been the only 1 in a million acres – both remind me of God’s power and might, both call forth the humility of this question. It is good to ponder this question, to be humbled.

David answers this question in the next few verses. God does “crown with glory and honor” humankind. God did make us “ruler over the works” of God’s hands. Here we must be careful. If we carry the humility generated by the question with us, then we see a great responsibility and a great privilege in these roles. If not, it easily becomes all about me. May we choose to love creation as God loves creation.

Prayer: Lord God, what a world you have made and continue to make! There are so many ways that I see your fingerprints in all of creation. As I interact with your creation, may my fingerprints look like yours. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Steps and the Promise

Readings: 1st Peter 4:12-14 and 5:6-11

Verse 7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Photo credit: Uta Scholl

As we come to the close to our time in 1st Peter, the common themes continue: “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering” and “you are blessed for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” Yes, you/we will suffer for our faith. Have hope! Glory awaits one day and God is with you/us each day in the trials.

Turning to chapter 5 we find some practical steps to walk faithfully through our suffering as well as a promise that gives us this living hope that we have in Jesus Christ. First, Peter calls for humility. Only from this place do we acknowledge our own weaknesses and fragility. Only then do we believe that we truly need God’s power and strength in the trials. Next Peter writes, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” He is NOT saying God will take away all the trials and suffering. He IS saying that if we trust God to lead and guide and to be with us as we walk through the trials and suffering, then we can turn over our anxieties, fears, doubts, worries… to God. This is a big step.

Third, Peter tells us to be “self-controlled and alert.” This advice is given because Satan is always on the prowl, always looking for ways to drag us into sin and away from God. By being disciplined in our faith practices we are arming ourselves with power against these attacks. By being alert we are aware of our own areas of weakness and of those people and/or places that hold negative sway over us. This leads us to the 4th step: “Resist him.” Luke trials and suffering, temptation will come. Satan will attack. To this too we could say, “Do not be surprised…” Peter calls them/us to resist, to stand firm on our rock.

And the promise: “And the God of all grace… will restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.” We do not walk alone. God in Spirit is with us always. In and through the trials and the suffering, God builds our faith. God sees us through and brings us out better able and more equipped for the next round. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, we close this walk through 1st Peter with such hope! In this life we will suffer, we will have trials, we will face temptations. Yet you are there with us, giving and being all that we need to walk faithfully through each one, emerging more faithful, more trusting, more assured of the living hope we have in you. Thank you for your great love and care for each of us. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Growing Deeper

Reading: Psalm 119:1-8

Verse 7: “I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.”

As we return to Psalm 119 today, we focus in on the joy of living into the will and way of God. The psalmist recognizes the blessing of walking in the way of the Lord. Now this is not a material blessing, but a spiritual blessing. This is not an absence of trial or pain blessing, but the blessing of God’s presence in and through all that life throws at us. The blessing comes in the intimate relationship that we can have with God.

The psalmist has learned that intimacy must be built, grown, developed. Accordingly the author strives to “seek God with all their heart.” It is a total commitment. It is not a “what have you done lately” attitude, nor is it an “I’ll see you the next time I need something” attitude. It is an “I’ll seek God with all of my heart” in the highs, in the lows, and in all in between attitude. It is awakening with an “I love you,” going to bed with an “I love you,” and it is saying “I love you God” with each thought, word, and action throughout our day.

The blessing and the presence of God leads to the joy and thanksgiving expressed in our Psalm. In verse 7 we read, “I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.” The psalmist seeks to live righteously and according to the will and way of God. Yet there is also a realization that he or she is a work in progress – “as I learn.” There is humility and honesty here. What a refreshing reminder! As fellow works in progress may we too seek God with all of our heart, trusting in God to be faithful and true as we learn to grow deeper in love with the Lord our God.

Prayer: Lord God, there is such joy and peace in your presence. There is security and contentment. There is hope and there is love. There is calm in the storm and elation on the mountain top. Day by day keep my feet on the faithful path. Moment by moment deepen my love for you. Amen.