Proud of my humility?

Today’s devotional brings out an issue I’ve never thought about before. It is the notion that piety is fraught with doubt and fears, and when we feel that sort of weakness, we are pleasing God.

The writer goes on to compare this ‘piety’ with a child’s relationship with earthly parents. If the child thinks their parents will fail them, would that please mom or dad? If my parents thought I worried that they would let me down, would they rejoice in my ‘weakness’ and be pleased?

True piety means to be devoted to God. It is not about fear that He will fail but about knowing that He will not fail because I am the weak one, not God. Yes, this humility can be faked, even be about a false pretense of devotion that talks faithfulness but does not live it, but it cannot be applied to God.

Perhaps the opposite of true humility is a persistent trust in myself. I recall going for a walk and praying about problems and how I thought God should solve them. I clearly heard His response to my ideas: “Elsie, get out of my to-do list.”

At the time, I laughed at my arrogance and His reminder that I cannot do what He does. Now I’ve reached a deeper understanding of what it means to be weak. It can be physical, but much more. Paul had a ‘thorn in the flesh’ — perhaps an eyesight problem. Whatever it was, he felt this weakness hindered his ministry. So he prayed:

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:8–10)

Piety is not doubt and fear regarding God but the realization that I am unable and have no options but to trust the power of God to enable me with whatever I need to serve Him.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6–7)

This is what pleases God! It could be any act of serving or obedience, even about what I eat:

But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23)

Note that “whatever does not proceed from faith” includes doubts and fears, so to say these ‘weaknesses’ please God is an error because doubt and fear is sin — and sin does not please God.

So what is the point? I could compare my sense of being unable with those who trust the flesh and be proud of my weaknesses, proud of my humility? Sounds stupid in black and white, but it can happen. Far better to stick to true piety which is total devotion to God and not use my weaknesses as an ego trip. The best I can do is be content that these inabilities are what God wants for me.

PRAY: Jesus, You choose weakness and God used that submission to bring salvation to a sin-sick world. In Your weakness, it was not Yourself and Your weakness that took center-stage. Instead, You said, “Not my will but Thine be done” reflecting total trust and dependence on Your Heavenly Father and giving up every other thought or idea in order that His will would be done. Your piety changed the world. Enable me to be weak with that same attitude of not having my way but trusting Your way — totally.

A Family Matter

Yesterday was not a perfect day. I slept for most of it, then had trouble sleeping at night. However, something good happened; Christian friends brought over soup, bread, and muffins. This is one of the blessings of being in the family of God.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. (Ephesians 2:19)

My theology says that our Heavenly Father takes care of us, yet the thoughtfulness of others in His household makes His care tangible, far more than a matter of faith. We are told to care for one another and when it happens. This visible expression is not only the action of an obedient and caring family member, but God expressing His love through their obedience.

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10)

Today’s devotional points out the opposite by reference to this verse;

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8)

Since I am a member of the “household of God,” this applies to God. He is the Father, the head of His family. If He should fail to provide for me, His own words would condemn Him. While many who suffer think that God has forgotten them, that cannot be true. He provides, not only soup and bread but all that I need. I cannot say otherwise for if I think He has abandoned me, then I am saying He is worse that an unbeliever. This is so wrong. I may not understand the purpose for my suffering, but to even think that He is not providing for me shows a complete misunderstanding of who He is and how He cares for His people.

As the devotional writer says, knowing this lifts the burdens of life from my shoulders and lays them on His. My fears, anxieties, and questionings are His concern, not mine. Just as humanity demands that parents care for and protect their children, this is my Father’s care and protection, even His divinely implanted instinct put into the heart of of those with children. It displays that my Creator, who made human parents responsible toward their children, is himself equally responsible toward His children.

Knowing this means I can rest in the care of my Father. I don’t need to listen to temptations that cause doubt or anxiety or fear because if I did listen, I would be saying that my Heavenly Father is not worthy of my trust.

PRAY: Jesus, with this illness, I’ve not prayed much and felt guilty for this focus on how I’m feeling. Yet that is a plus in that I’m trusting You with all the matters at hand. I can rest in Your care knowing that You are faithful and that I need not worry or fret about anything. Thank You!

Not well

 Slept all day. Not fun. Thankful for the Lord’s presence.

Many Names but still Father…

In my mind, my dad has only one title — dad or father. I’d never call him ‘the old man’ or by any other term, derogatory or affectionately. However, today’s devotional asks: But what about the other names of God; do they not convey other and more terrifying ideas?

Yesterday it mentioned three: judge, king, and lawgiver. I cannot remember my father every judging me, putting me in a rare group. He evaluated things, but never made me feel as if I was under his scrutiny.
Of course my heavenly Father is a judge, yet in judging me He finds me totally wanting. As with everyone else, I fall short of the glory of God, missing the mark and having no merit or legal right to stand before Him. Yet all is not lost.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17–21)

This is an incredible reality. God judged me, found me guilty, put my guilt on Christ trading it for His righteousness that I might be justified. No guilt. No condemnation. This is the love and grace of my Father the Judge.

He is also my King. That is, He rules over me. My life is not my own. Yet He is not a despot king nor one who rules with an iron fist. He rules the universe yet somehow governs it so all things are for me, not against me.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

How does God do that? We often say in our church, “Only God” for we know the power of this King who is also our Father.

As for Lawgiver, I remember this word by Watchman Nee. He said, “The Lawgiver on the throne has become the Law-keeper in our hearts.” Again, this is the mighty love of my Heavenly Father. He does for me what I could never do apart from Him.

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. (Psalm 103:13)

I’m to always think of Him as my Heavenly Father. All He does is what a good, good Father would do. Christ declares Him that I might know God’s love and never have any anxious or rebellious thoughts. The NT puts it this way:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31–39)

PRAY: Jesus, You took my sin and shame that I might know the wonder of being loved by God. Indeed, what can I say to these things! All that I have needed, You have provided. How wonderful is Your love for me.

Our Perfect Father

In Bible times, the father of the home was responsible to provide and care for his family. He was the source of life for the children and their protector as well as the main authority figure. He was expected to discipline (and forgive) when necessary and educate the children in both ordinary and spiritual matters. He was to be honored and any abuse toward him was considered shameful and punished severely.

When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He told them:

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. (Matthew 6:9)

In thinking about the role of fathers in those days compared to what happens in family life in our culture, this concept of God being Father can be confusing for some. Think of those whose fathers were abusive, or absent, or dead-beats. How difficult to relate to God as a loving, heavenly Father without having a loving earthly father.

My dad was none of the negatives. He may have been working more than many fathers, but he was there for us, being the father he should be with the addition of a wonderful sense of humor. There was a lot of laughter in our home. He was not a spiritual man until later in life, but mother and grandmother’s prayers filled in.

Millions of God’s children call Him Father. Had every Christian known the depth of what that means, His nature and care would never be doubted. Unfortunately, the other titles for God sometimes put connotations in our hearts and minds and bring misunderstanding and uncertainty.

For instance, God is also known as a king, judge, and lawgiver. Those words can confuse His children about what He is like. The devotional writer says, “It is inconceivable that a good father could forget or neglect or be unfair to his children. A savage or wicked father might, but a good father never! In calling our God by the blessed name of Father, we ought to know that if He is a father at all, He must be the very best of fathers, and His fatherhood must be the highest ideal of fatherhood we can conceive.”

As already said, God combines the best of both father and mother, which includes all  the love, tenderness, compassion, yearning, and self-sacrifice that we recognize to be at the heart of great parenting, even though it is not always seen in earthly parents.

PRAY: Jesus, You came to reveal God to us. I’m so thankful for the word ‘father’ and that You gave me a great example, yet realize that as wonderful as my own father was, he does not compare to the wonder of having a heavenly Father who is utterly perfect and who is always enough — meeting all my needs and loving me with such amazing patience and grace.

Perfect Care

This week seems as if it did not happen. Admitted to the hospital with bacterial pneumonia was not in my mind at all on Monday and now it seems a remote thing — because I was sent home last night! The doctor was amazed at my recovery. So are a few others, but the people who prayed all know the power of God.

What many of them do not know is what I am eager to tell them: God had me there for His reasons. One is that I have never experienced His kindness from literally dozens of people like it was poured out during these few days. The medical staff all have that attitude from the Holy Spirit and it was utterly amazing. I have been blessed.

Second, but it should be first, is that getting well is nothing compared to experiencing God in sickness. Today’s devotions compare that to the care of a mother for her hungry and needy child. For her, the child comes first. She would starve herself before allowing the child to starve. Not only that, she wisely chooses the most nutritious food, not candy or junk food. She wants the best for the child, and that may not seem the best according to the child. This is what the NT says:

What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:11–13)

What our Father gives may look to us like a serpent or a scorpion, but since He gives it, we may be sure it cannot be anything but the best thing for us. For if parents know how to give good gifts, how much more must He.

That said, for many Christians, sickness looks more like a scorpion than a steak. We want to be healthy. However, this week had I been healthy I would have missed the most precious experiences with my heavenly Father.

Relying on God is like being in the hospital. Nice room. No need to supply or prepare my own food. All I needed to do was eat and live, without care or cost and surrounded by kindness and love. No worries and total trust that He was giving me His best. Now that I am home, I need to plan and prepare meals, clean up after myself, and make do without a servant in sight. Yet this is not about being pampered. It is about the wonder of His love, whether I am needy or not. If God is only as good as the mothers He has made, where can there be any room left for a thought of care or of fear? And if He is as much truer to the ideal of motherhood than an earthly mother can be, as His infiniteness is above hers, then what great joy and confidence in Him can fill my heart!

PRAY: Again I say, no matter what life brings, God is in it and when I yield to His wisdom instead of fret to have my own way, I discover again and again that God is enough. Jesus, You have opened the windows of glory again to me. I want all Christians to know that being sick is not our biggest threat — but being fearful that it is the worst that can happen is far worse — because that fear keeps me from being mothered by Him.

God’s Great Love

When I became a single mom with two preschoolers living on a farm not far from my parents, my mom phoned me everyday. If I was not home, she would call the neighbors looking for me. It made me feel as if she thought I was helpless — not a great confidence builder.

However, this came to mind today. I’m in the hospital on heavy IV meds and can’t do much for myself, yet gloriously aware of the presence and care of God and how much my earthly mother was like my Heavenly Father. She was always there, even when I didn’t think I needed her.

Not only that, the kindness in the medical staff here is doing the same. For example, at 3am I needed help and when the nurse came, I grumbled about the problem—first time since admitted. She said, “We need to be positive” then talked me there — using a Bible verse and a ton of kindness. In no time, God’s joy returned.

But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. (1 Thessalonians 2:7)

I've met dozens of kind people here. Their attitude is not learned or put on, but from the heart. How wonderful! To praise this staff of the Grey Nuns Hospital in Edmonton, AB, as I am able to praise my mom and others is okay. Yet in reality, they know as I know, all kindness such as this is from the Holy Spirit given to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. 

 

How much the world needs to know the wonder of God’s loving kindness and how much His kindness shows that He is enough — even when we feel crappy and helpless — and even when we don't think we need Him. It is a great blessing that God, like a loving mom, is always watching over me in great kindness.