His school of higher learning…

A childhood illness kept me out of public school and away from other children for most of grades one to seven. Later, I realized how much I did not learn from being with my peers, particularly the people skills that are learned by experience. I didn’t know what to say or do in many normal situations. I felt the awkwardness of having a blank mind or no opinion rather than knowing what my peers learned from growing up in a social setting. 

When I became a Christian in my late twenties, this lack became an acute reality. However, it was not totally negative. Instead, God used it to His advantage. I did not have many worldly ideas to unlearn. I also felt like a servant coming to Him eager to learn how to live.

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us. (Psalm 123:2)

Many other verses became a comfort to me and an encouragement when I felt stupid or not like other people, verses like these:

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. (Psalm 25:4)
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. (Psalm 32:8)
I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies! (Psalm 119:125)
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! (Psalm 119:29)

The image of having an empty platter for Him to fill became particularly strong. Many times I’ve felt like that, particularly after seeing other Christians who seemed to know very easily what to do and say, even in awkward situations. 

Struggling to be more like that, I realized two things: one is that this is not about learning it in school but about relying on the Holy Spirit. And secondly, even when feeling blank about many things, I have a great deal of pride and can be stubborn about having ‘my way’ instead of obeying God. Doing and saying the ‘right’ thing involves being humble and lowly, teachable and willing to listen to and obey the Spirit. This is not learned in grade school either.

My part involves spiritual disciplines such as Bible reading, study, and prayer, being alone with God, asking for His wisdom and trusting what He says. It helps to pray His Word, and learn of Him. Obedience is an intentional choice, but it can be stalled by unforgiveness, failure to confess my sins, and failure to be accountable to others. 

While I might have learned many things from my peers in class and on the playground, I would not have learned obedience from a changed heart. That involves lessons that come only from the Lord because He is the only one who can make the changes. This is certainly why this verse has always part of my learning experience:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

PRAY: Lord, would being in school as a child made learning about You easier? I don’t think so. It might have given me more worldly notions that require ‘mind renewal’ (Romans 12:2) and deepened my stubborn pride, but I can’t know that. I just know that You governed my life from birth to this day, and You know what still needs to be done to transform me into the image of Your Son (Romans 8:28-29). For all that You do as my Savior and Teacher, I am deeply thankful even though I realize how far I am from that goal.

Another new path

2 Kings 24; Psalm 143; Joel 3; Hebrew 6

I have a flip chart of recipe cards on rings. Each card has a focus thought for the day, basically to help my scattered mind meditate on truth from God. Most of them contrast spirit-filled attitudes with selfish sinful attitudes. Sometimes they say exactly what I need to hear that day.

This morning, the card that came up was entitled: “HUMILITY vs. Seeking Honor” with the further instruction to, “Recognize and honor God and others who are responsible for my achievements and victories.” Along with this are the following verses:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (Romans 12:10)

I’d done something yesterday hoping for a pat on the back. I didn’t get it. However, God helped me honor those who had accomplished the same goal. This morning, God reminded me that I must continually seek His honor and glory, not my own. Doing this begins with first and always seeking His guidance each day:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

A book I’m reading exhorts me to think more deeply about the truths that God brings each day. Humbling ourselves isn’t popular. Few people do it well or do it at all, mainly because starting the day at the feet of Jesus is a discipline, as is giving over to Him control of the path I walk, never mind figuring out what that path looks like and how to take the necessary steps.

The prayer is like this: “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.” (Psalm 25:4) with this incentive to do it: “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” (Psalm 90:14) yet the motivation is elusive. Most people, including myself, have a daily routine that is necessary. My responsibilities and chore lists beg the question, “Why seek God’s way for doing stuff that I know how to do?”

One verse from today’s readings hit me with a few ideas for both humbling myself and seeking His ways:

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. (Psalm 143:8)

First, the love of God tells me that His way will be best for me. I can trust Him to guide me in a path that is good, profitable, fruitful, and joyful.

Second, I trust Him. Can I say that and continue to do my own thing? Trust is expressed by seeking what He wants for me; it is not about doing what I do out of habit or self-reliance.

Third, He must make His way known to me. I read last night about a man who God taught to worship while he was changing diapers. It was unusual but brought joy to him rather than resentment in the task. I’ve much to learn and need God to make it known!

Fourth, this involves lifting my soul up to Him and here is where the humility comes in even more. I’ve learned that the human soul is about intellect, emotions and volition. When I was unsaved, those faculties were governed by external things and I-wants. As a believer, my soul is brought under the power and leading of my regenerated spirit and the Spirit of God. However, this is a choice. That is, I can rely on my own understanding, or trust in the Lord — whose ways are higher than my ways. I can let emotions rule or let the Lord God rule my emotions. I can choose my own way or follow the ways of God.

Making these choices takes commitment and determination but also practice. It requires dropping pride in my own abilities — meaning humility. It means saying and thinking that God knows better, consciously and deliberately, rather than habitually going about my day without considering His way for those chores that have been habitually performed for many years.

APPLY: Meditation on what God says, lots of thought about how this works. Follow through. Pray about everything instead of praying about those things that seem to need prayer — which would mean forming a new habit. Humbling means realizing that I know nothing about the ways of God when it comes to many daily duties. Again, life with Jesus is an adventure, always into new territory and always making me realize how little I know about Him — and myself.