Humility

In 1 Peter 5:5-7 God tells the younger to be subject to the elder. Clothe yourselves,all of you, with humility toward one another for ' God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' 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. This is a wonderful passage for us to remember as mothers in the midst of raising little ones looking at our every move. First, as wives, we need to be humble and submit to our husbands in everything. This has always been a challenge for me, which is why I need to write about it. I'm journaling about what God is convicting me on during my morning devotional time with Him, it just so happens that now I am blogging my journal entries, hoping that you will be encouraged as I am by the Word of God that cuts, and shapes us into a worthy vessel for God's glory. Anyway, back to it, In 1 Peter 3:1-6 we read how we are to respect our husband, who is our elder, leader, God-ordained head. We are to obey them so that even if they do not obey the Word of God, they may be won by our conduct as wives, without us ever saying a word. We must not worry and fret over what they are or are not doing according to our liking. Instead, let us cast all our anxiety on God, for He cares for us and our husbands. He does hear our prayers and is faithful to answer. Most of the time I see He changes me or the way I see things. As we obey God in this area then we will be able to set an example for our children. As they see us honoring our elders, those whom God has placed in a position of honor over us, and as we diligently and carefully teach them God's Word, they will gain wisdom and strength to be obedient to God and respect their elders through Christ. I see my older children learning a great deal during these high school years. They're gaining a biblical worldview and studying providential history, apologetics, and learning how to communicate effectively through writing and speech club. The tendency of our flesh is to become proud or think we know more than our elders who are not going through the books and classes we are. We then may even look down on our elders when they are explaining something that we disagree with or make choices we think are not to God's highest standard. This is the time we must be careful and pray for humility. Pray and give God your concerns and trust in His sovereignty. Sometimes God wants us to go through tests, trials, and suffering to refine us and burn up all our pride that tries to exalt itself above God or the work of the Holy Spirit. Look at what God says to the prince of Tyre in Ezekiel 28:1-10 The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD:"Because your heart is proud,and you have said, 'I am a god,I sit in the seat of the gods,in the heart of the seas,'yet you are but a man, and no god,though you consider yourself as wise as a god - you are indeed wiser than Daniel;no secret is hidden from you; by your wisdom and your understanding you have gotten wealth for yourself,and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries; by your great wisdom in trade you have increased your wealth,and your heart has become proud in your wealth - therefore thus says the Lord GOD:"Because you consider yourself as wise as a god, therefore, behold, I will bring strangers upon you,the most terrible of the nations;and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor. They shall thrust you down into the Pit,and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas. Will you still say, 'I am a god,'in the presence of those who slay you,though you are but a man, and no god,in the hands of those who wound you? You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners; for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD." and then to the king of Tyre God says in verses 12-19 "You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God;every precious stone was your covering,carnelian, topaz, and jasper,chrysolite, beryl, and onyx,sapphire, carbuncle, and emerald;and wrought in gold were your settings and your engravings.On the day that you were created they were prepared. With an anointed guardian cherub I placed you;you were on the holy mountain of God;in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created,till iniquity was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned;so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,and the guardian cherub drove you out from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty;you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.I cast you to the ground;I exposed you before kings,to feast their eyes on you. By the multitude of your iniquities,in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries;so I brought forth fire from the midst of you;it consumed you,and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you;you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more for ever." God humbled them both through His mighty hand. He is God! We need to never become prideful over the gifts He has given us whether they be wisdom, riches, beauty, position, church, or family. Let us all pray for and walk in humility and give God all the glory that he alone deserves. I'll end with Psalms 113:3-5 which is a song I learned when I was a teen,which sums up the matter beautifully. From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised! The LORD is high above all nations,and his glory above the heavens! Who is like the LORD our God,who is seated on high.