Memorise:
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18
Read: Isaiah 40:13-17
40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him
in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him
the way of understanding?
40:15 Behold, the nations are as a
drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance:
behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
40:16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
40:17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
Message
A person that is self-existing and is self-sufficient is the only one
that has the right to be proud. There is however no single person in all
of human history that is self-existing or self-sufficient. Only God,
who is the creator of all things that there is – man, animals, elements,
molecules, atoms etc, is self-existing and self-sufficient. The Bible
in 1 Timothy 6:16 says this of Him: “Who only hath immortality,
dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath
seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”
It is therefore only God that has the exclusive right to pride. Yet, it
is obvious that even God does not exhibit pride. This is shown in the
regard He has even for lesser beings of His creation. Considering the
infinite superiority of His being to anything or anyone else, one would
expect Him to relate with us with impunity and not to be mindful of us
at all (Psalm 8:4). In spite of the gap between his awesomeness and our
lowly estate, God still condescend to relate with us. He shows concern
for us in all of our predicaments, even to the point of making the
ultimate self sacrifice. He gave His son to die for our sins so as to
deliver us from the grave consequences of sin. God, the Almighty, the
creator of the universe, the One larger than all that is and can ever be
imagined, still makes Himself available to us at our beckoning. He
protects, provide for, deliver, wipe tears from our eyes and pat us on
the back etc, we mere mortals! Who then are you to be full of yourself,
to be high minded, haughty or to look down on everyone else, just
because of your position in your office, your wealth, talents, skills or
beauty? All these are privileges; it is the Almighty God that gave you
all these. No man receives anything except it is given by God (John
3:27, James 1:17).
You should therefore be wise and come down
from the dangerous position you have allowed pride to put you in. Your
pride is essentially putting you in the position of God. This perhaps is
not known to you, and may not be your intent, but unknown to you, that
is your state. The mercy of God is being extended to you through this
devotional this day, so that you may repent and not allow the unpleasant
experience of the wrath of God meant for the proud to come upon you
before you learn. Ask King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:1-34, he would
tell you better.
Key Point:
Destruction is the reward for pride.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 2 KINGS 17:24-19:7 and PROVERBS 24:8-20
AUTHOR : Pastor E.A. ADEBOYE
Comments
Post a Comment