As the rain and snow

“You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
    you are my God; I will extol you.
 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 118:28-29

“I say to the Lord, You are my God;
    give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!
O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
    you have covered my head in the day of battle.
Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
    do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted! 

I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
    and will execute justice for the needy.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
    the upright shall dwell in your presence.” Psalm 140:6-8,12-13

“O Lord, you are my God;
    I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
for you have done wonderful things,
    plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” Isaiah 25:1

Four words: You are my God. Words of conviction, words of truth, words of assurance. Accenting each word, one at a time, highlights its special meaning and backs its power in this cogent statement.

You. You, high and holy Lord- You alone. You exist eternally, You know all things, You do all things well. There is none who compares with You, no one else who captivates, delivers, saves, or transforms as You do. You are unique, and uniquely worthy of my attention, allegiance, and worship. (Psalm 40:5; 89:6; 119:68; Mark 7:37)

Are. You are- presently, actively, dynamically now, and alive. You exist from eternity past, You always will be, and You are at this moment, the same forever. (Psalm 90:2; John 1:1; Hebrews 13:8)

My. My God- maker of my inmost parts, committed to our intimate relationship, possessive of me as Your beloved own. You know all about me, hear my cries, understand my heart, and personally sanctify me. (Psalm 139:1-16; 1 Thessalonians 1:4)

God. Almighty and unique God of gods. Omnipotent and wise King, Ruler, Creator, Authority, Judge, Savior. There is none like You, unique, transcendent, perfect in knowledge and righteousness. The highest heavens cannot contain You who are measureless in love, abounding in compassion, mercy, and faithfulness. (1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 36:5; 103:11)

Since this is true, and He is my God, how can I fear or fret or feel alone? How can I not sing, and praise Him with every breath, all of my days? Why would I not love what He loves, hate what He hates, and trust Him with my all? How can I not live in certain and expectant hope, assured of His defense as my Advocate, of His return as my coming Redeemer? Why would I become attached to, or spend time on, idols and idle things? (Job 16:19; Revelation 22:12)

O Lord, You are my God. You are my God. You are my God. You are my God. May I sing this refrain morning, noon, and night, and live to give You the glory, reverence, and honor You deserve.

^“Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God, but he walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He even burned his son as an offering, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. And he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.

^“Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to wage war on Jerusalem, and they besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him... So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying,.. ‘Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.’ Ahaz also took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasures of the king’s house and sent a present to the king of Assyria.

“When King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, he saw the altar that was at Damascus. [He] sent Uriah the priest a model of the altar, and its pattern, exact in all its details.  And Uriah the priest built the altar… before King Ahaz arrived.  And when the king came from Damascus, [he] drew near to the altar and went up on it and burned his offering… on the altar. The bronze altar that was before the Lord he removed from the front of the house,.. and put it on the north side of his altar. And King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, saying, ‘On the great altar burn the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering and the king’s burnt offering and his grain offering, with the burnt offering of all the people…’ King Ahaz cut off the frames of the stands and removed the basin from them, and he took down the sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it and put it on a stone pedestal.” 2 Kings 16:2-5,7-8,10-15,17

Ahaz did things his way, in his work and worship. When he met opposition, he implemented a better way, according to himself, and plowed on in direct opposition to the Lord’s commands and pattern for reverent worship. How like him we can be! (Deuteronomy 12:1-4)

Once a decision is made to do things my way, it is impossible to reverse course save for God’s merciful intervention. Heart bent leads to choice leads to action upon action, and before we know it, we sacrifice all that is meaningful and valuable to get our way. We charge ahead at the helm with no one to stop us, drunk on power and the pride of self-exaltation.

God, who knows our sinful proclivities, established the right way to approach Him, and worship, and live. His ways are good, sufficient, sure, and satisfying. Repeatedly we ascend the throne of self, grip the royal scepter, and waste the kingdom entrusted to us. But God offers Jesus, Himself the Way, to lead us aright to eternal life and unspeakable joy. (John 10:10; 14:6)

Whose way will I choose?

My Lord, have Your way with me. I yield my way to give way to Your glorious best.

“Jesus answered them, ‘See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved… Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect… Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’” Matthew 24:4-13,44; 26:41

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13

There seems a sense of urgency in the bird chatter this morning, more snipped and staccato than the usual carefree, cheerful song. The water jiggles nervously under damp lusty gusts that fuffle through tree tops and snap flags. They know a storm is coming.

There are many a threat to unsettle our equilibrium today, yet the enemy would blind us with complacency and numb us with ease. If he could. God’s people are called to urgency, not stress; preparedness, not anxiety. We do not know what a day or tomorrow holds, so we can be confident in the Lord by safeguarding ourselves with prayer, spiritual armor, and trust in God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Matthew 6:34; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 6:10-17; James 4:13-14).

Are we prone to complain, or fret, or ignore signs of trouble or suffering because we prefer to avoid the fray, the potential pain? Maybe we coddle our own self-righteous justification and blame in order to put off the necessary humility to reconcile? Do we stew in touchiness and hurt feelings because we abhor being wronged, or wrong? We must take care to batten down the hatches on temptation and secure ourselves in the Lord.

We should always have a sense of urgency about being right with God, keeping clean accounts, making the most of storms, and spreading his good news in the midst of them through our words and behavior. We should be compelled every day by an urgency to love, to rejoice, to serve, to give, and to laugh at the days to come because we are ready. (Psalm 112:7-8; Proverbs 31:25)

When spitting rain glosses the path before us slippery, are we determined to forge ahead with careful steps, or do we timidly hang back until it lets up, until danger and inconvenience disappear? When our days get saturated with flooding troubles, are we urgent to embrace God’s purpose and to sow and produce spiritual fruit, or do we lazily allow our suffering to be wasted? (Hebrews 6:7-8)

Father, guard me from being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Enable me to hold my confidence firm in You to the end, daily urgent to honor Your worth and exalt Your glorious purposes. (Hebrews 3:12-14)

“Put not your trust in princes,
    in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
    on that very day his plans perish.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
    who executes justice for the oppressed,
    who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;
    the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
    the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners;
    he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

The Lord will reign forever,
    your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!” Psalm 146:3-10

Living here on earth, and moving among things of earth, we tend to seek here our sources of wisdom, help, and strength. We exercise our minds and bodies to be able to defend against and equip ourselves for whatever comes, but often to the neglect of what we cannot conquer in the flesh. “Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!” is a sobering reality we do not like to believe, but it has serious bearing on our ability to help ourselves. (Psalm 39:5)

Thankfully, our Maker who created us for Himself loves us, and leaves us not alone. He who imagined and made all things keeps faith forever. He is our steadfast, unchanging help in provision and justice, protection and undergirding. He who holds the future and is coming again is our hope of lasting freedom, our sight for recognizing and receiving our eternal inheritance, our guarantee of release from despair and unbearable burdens. (Isaiah 49:1-5; John 14:2-3)

Shall we not then praise Him? Will we not then trust Him? Our LORD, whose eye is keen and arm is strong, is enough for our every care and need. His salvation is more real, and lasting, than any earthly deliverance.

If the One who helps us is also our hope, His aid is tied to His guarantee, His companionship and provision in the present to our eternal and glorious riches. Nothing can separate us from Him, no trouble or attack or dearth or pain can change what is ours in Christ. We cannot hold back sea and storm. Flesh is imperfect in fidelity and justice. Man cannot work miracles. But God is a present help and hope, able and faithful to fulfill His promises. He is the One who reigns in majesty and ineffable power. (Numbers 23:19; Psalm 46:1; Lamentations 3:22-23; Romans 8:31-39; Ephesians 1:11-14)

“Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow–
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided.
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!” ~Thomas O. Chisholm (1923)

Where are we weak? Where have we failed? What is our need? And where are we seeking help? Would we descend our thrones, relinquish man’s expertise and ‘must-haves,’ and reach for the King who is eternally good, loving, and actively engaged in our lives?

Faithful Lord, my help and hope are in You alone. Keep me praising and trusting You forever.

“In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria… 

This occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God… and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord drove out before [them]… They built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. They set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree… [and] served idols, of which the Lord had said to them, ‘You shall not do this…’ 

And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities instead of the people of Israel… And at the beginning.., they did not fear the Lord. Therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. So the king of Assyria was told, ‘The nations that you have.. placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are killing them…’ Then the king of Assyria commanded, ‘Send one of the priests whom you carried away from there, and let him go and dwell there and teach them the law of the god of the land.’  So one of the priests… came and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made… They also feared the Lord and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away… So these nations feared the Lord and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children’s children—as their fathers did, so they do to this day.” 2 Kings 17:6-12,24-29,32-33,41

“I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.” Isaiah 42:8

When only God is worthy of praise, adoration, and allegiance, there can be no dividing of loyalties, no sharing or intermingling of worship. Yet time and again the Israelites did just that, raising one hand to their Deliverer and Provider while dipping the other in the pot of heathen stew. Stubbornly refusing God’s appeals to repent, they were taken into exile. Then those who replaced them fell into the same routine of man-prescribed blended worship, and this syncretism continued for generations.

What divides a whole heart? What causes us to drift from friends who sharpen our faith, who help us grow wise and remain pure? What repels us from full obedience? Are we too easily enticed by a taste of this and that, by what we think strange gods will add, or by the sensual favors we might indulge if we’re not restricted? Our flesh wearies of commitment and craves license for self-absorbed expression, but no sin pleasure is lasting. (Proverbs 13:20; 14:12; 27:17; Hebrews 11:25)

Because He knows our mixed loyalties, God offers mercy by His written and spoken word, and gives generous grace to say no to foreign gods. Honoring Him as supreme supplies hope for victory today and forever. (Psalm 103:11-14; Titus 2:11-14)

Worthy Lord, help me exalt Your glory alone, never my own.

“Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
    give praise, O servants of the Lord,
who stand in the house of the Lord,
    in the courts of the house of our God!
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
    sing to his name, for it is pleasant!

For I know that the Lord is great,
    and that our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
    in heaven and on earth,
    in the seas and all deeps.
He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
    who makes lightnings for the rain
    and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
    your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.
For the Lord will vindicate his people
    and have compassion on his servants.” Psalm 135:1-3,5-7,13-14

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” Hebrews 1:3

He it is, the pre-existent One, infinitely before and Cause and End of all creation, who set His affection on us and saved us. This was not because of what we had done, but because of who He is, the merciful Redeemer. He it is who ignites our hearts with His radiance and our lips to sing to His name. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8; John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 1:10-12)

We have every reason to praise the LORD. His name that is above every name is good, excellent, beautiful, and holy, to be voiced with reverence and awe. He is sovereign King whose throne cannot be shaken, and great High Priest, sufficient and supreme for and above His creation. He is superior to all gods, the Lord of lords, ineffably sublime. His providence is loving and sure. His power and creativity are infinite. His renown is limitless and untouchable. Yes, He it is who is worthy of praise. (Deuteronomy 10:17; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 4:14; 12:28-29)

We have every reason to trust the LORD. He is supreme, excellent and perfect in His ways. What He plans is redemptive and for our hope, and He always does what He says He will. His rule and justice are eternal and consistent with His righteous pleasure. He is unique in His divinity, and always prepares and works good for His children. He is for us, our Defender and Advocate, our Shield and great reward. Yes, He it is who is worthy of our trust. (Genesis 15:1; Isaiah 46:9-11; Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28-34)

We have every reason to serve the LORD. He owns the house, He rules the courts, and He is a good and compassionate Master. He has freed us from slavery to sin to be His willing and privileged servants. We serve Him by serving others in His name. Yes, He it is who is worthy of our service. (Matthew 25:40; Romans 6:20-22; Galatians 5:13)

We have every reason to love the LORD. None cherishes us like He. His love is everlasting, His grace and kindness unmatched. He made us in His image and for His glory, and gave His life for ours. Would we not give ours and all our affection for and to Him? Yes, He it is who is worthy of our love. (Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 43:3-7; Jeremiah 31:3; John 15:13)

Resplendent LORD God, You alone are worthy of my full allegiance and adoration. Keep me praising You all the day and night, with the honor You deserve.

“Sow for yourselves righteousness;
    reap steadfast love;
    break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the Lord,
    that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

You have plowed iniquity;
    you have reaped injustice;
    you have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your own way
    and in the multitude of your warriors,
therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people,
    and all your fortresses shall be destroyed.” Hosea 10:12-14

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:7-9

There come times in life when we realize we are reaping what we have sown- in personal habits, in relationships, in our work, in a nation- and find it sobering, even painful. We can choke with regret. But even in this awakening of our sensibilities, God shines. We see our Lord as faithful, bringing about what He has said in His word. If His word is true in its tenets, it is also true in its invitations. God mercifully calls us to break up what we’ve destroyed or let slip, to seek Him, to begin to cultivate what we have let lie fallow, to sow to the Spirit.

Now is the time to do this work of righteousness. Breaking our fallow ground, coming to terms with wasted opportunities or years and repenting of our misappropriated ‘farming’ is not easy, but necessary for the Lord’s righteousness to reign. It is always good to do the hard labor of sowing to the Spirit, and it is never good to delay. We will face challenges, but the Lord promises joyful return.

There may be labor required of us that brings little immediate satisfaction. Because we see no meaning in it, and little result, or consider it drudgery rather than joy, we feel we do it in vain. But the Lord says, when we work as unto Him we receive a reward- a promise to take hold of, whether for this life or the next. (Ephesians 6:7-8; Colossians 3:23-24)

Some work makes us restless and out of sorts, and it could be we are trying to do only what we want to do, or what we think another wants us to do, but not what God has designed for us to do. We might think it best to sow our own ideas, but unless the Spirit directs our path according to His preordained plan, we will be uncomfortable in our workmanship skin, and bear little, if any, fruit. (Ephesians 2:10)

What seeds of destruction have I sowed in conversations or among neighbors? What sin habits have I plowed that are having sorry effects? Where am I neglecting God’s work altogether? It is time to repent.

Good Master, make me faithful to break up the fallow ground of my soul and in my life. Where I lack zeal, remind me this work of righteousness is a gift, and by Your Spirit, exalts Your love and brings You glory.

“[Jesus said], ‘The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’” John 3:8-9

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

“Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying,.. ‘We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.’” Acts 2:1-7,11

The sound of wind quickens the heart, and pleases the ear and senses. Invisible, yet obvious in its touch, wind at once amazes, astounds, and sets us to wonder. It bends, it breaks, it strengthens, it refreshes. It sets dirt to deviling in destruction, it sucks into the peaceful eye of its vortex, it sweeps away clouds and dries the rain. God made wind a picture of His grace and power and magnanimous love, and invites us into its sway.

Wind blows, rejuvenating, cooling, invigorating as it sweeps us into its energetic rush. Spirit, blow your wind in our faces to awaken us from clouds of apathy, ease, and sadness to hope and fresh mercies. Drive away fretting and anxiety over hypotheticals and replace them with holy inspiration and zeal.

Wind loosens the dead and debris, gently tugging, removing it from what is living and lush. Lord, drive the wind of your spirit into our souls to convict us and move us to repentance. Uproot what weeds we have allowed to grow, habits and sinful tendencies we have come to tolerate as our companions. Swirl your wind before our eyes to remove weak faith so we can see you clearly. Keep blowing to remove stubbornness, willful pride, and doubt, until we give in to your sway.

Wind lulls and rolls, with gentle fingers, colors into beautiful motion. Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with heavenly light and move us to weave Your loveliness and sow Your joy among those who live in dark shadows of despair and hurt.

Wind pushes and pulls, correcting our stance, making sure we are grounded and balanced, and propelling us along with aided speed. Holy Spirit, by Your power, turn us from worthless pursuits toward what has eternal significance. Infuse divine inspiration, and compel our bodies forward in eager work and service that matters.

“Joyful, joyful, we adore You,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before You,
Op’ning to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!” ~Henry Van Dyke (1907)

Father, take me up in Your sway. Blow Your Spirit on and through me to communicate Your mighty works, to the praise of Your glory.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
    whom he has redeemed from trouble…

Some wandered in desert wastes,
    finding no way to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty,
    their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
    till they reached a city to dwell in.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he satisfies the longing soul,
    and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    prisoners in affliction and in irons,
for they had rebelled against the words of God,
    and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
    they fell down, with none to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
    and burst their bonds apart.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he shatters the doors of bronze
    and cuts in two the bars of iron...

Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
    and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!..

Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
    and praise him in the assembly of the elders...

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
    let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.” Psalm 107:1-2,4-16,22,32,43

The redeemed have lives woven rich with thankfulness. They are not immune to trouble in the world, to famine or distress or longing. They experience the same temptations and painful consequences when they trip as those who know not the Lord, the same illnesses and afflictions and challenges with work. But they are distinct in perspective, set apart by their connection to Christ, and the rhythms of every season flow with dependence on the Lord and thankfulness to Him.

“Redeemed: saved from sin, error, or evil; bought back, regained possession of.” When we are redeemed, what has been done for us by Jesus the Redeemer infuses our being. We are awake to His grace, alert and stung when we fall from it, and drawn by its irresistible pull to be delivered again. The thrum of His washing plays the tune of gratitude again and again, and we cannot help but sing.

What daily habits structure our lives? As surely as the sun rises and we go about our days, we get into regular rhythms of eating and activity that dictate our hours. How about our spirit life? Have we fallen into rote religious practices that lack punch or power in our outlook or choices? Would we yield to holy disciplines, that when practiced, become a joy and lifeline? What difference could regular thanksgiving make? (Hebrews 12:10-11)

“‘O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will.  

“And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored… This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians…’ That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed.” Daniel 5:18-23,26-28,30

When pride is exposed (and it is the natural manner of many a regenerate soul), we have a choice: humble ourselves before the Almighty, or continue to contend with Him and pay. Daniel succinctly spells out the result of each for the pompous king, whose father had eventually grasped who was true King, and the unrepentant Belshazzar’s lot was determined by his hard heart and idolatry.

Pride never serves us well. We may think ourselves invincible, but God will break even the most haughty and bring us low. We will all one day be held to account, and not only our deeds but our motives and attitudes will be exposed. A sense of superiority, of swagger in authority, of ‘better’ because of our talents or position or resources, all calcify our spirits until we no longer recognize the rigid, indomitable idol we have made of self. (Proverbs 16:5,18; Romans 2:6; 14:12)

Any time we pompously worship the created (self) rather than the Creator, we set ourselves on a downward spiral toward destruction. Our ears stop to the Lord’s voice, and our eyesight distorts so we see ourselves as bigger than God and more important than those we are to serve. Our hearts harden to others’ needs and sorrows, arrogance and entitlement rule our minds. Our only hope is Jesus, whose humility won our salvation. Would we bow? (Proverbs 18:12; Romans 1:22-25; Philippians 2:5-11)

Lord, humble me before Your cross so I live in the shadow of its glory.