Trust and Obey

 

Hello Friends. I'm in Philippians today and contemplating these verses:

Philippians 2:12-13
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

This passage proves a difficult one to translate from the original Greek to the English. In Word Studies for the Greek New Testament, Kenneth Wuest says it well:

“The English translation is good, if one uses the words “work out” as one does when referring to the working out of a problem in mathematics, that is, carrying it to its ultimate goal or conclusion. The Greek word here means just this.”

In other words, we don't work for our salvation, we live out the salvation we already have. God's Holy Spirit makes us want to obey God's Word. Next, he gives us the power to obey. We will succeed because God's good pleasure wills our success.

Practically speaking, what is our job in the whole effort?

Trust and obey.

Trust and obey has everything to do with how we use our time. We can fill our days with non-biblical pursuits and say we don't have time to do more. Or we can write down God's commands and build our schedule around those. It's the difference between God first or me first.

Here's what this looks like:

~ God commands that we read our Bibles, so we pick them up and open them. We make the time, God does the rest.

~ God commands us to serve one another, so we serve at home, at church, and in the neighborhood. We make the time and God does the rest.

~ God commands that we pray, so we sit down and start talking; the Holy Spirit gives us the words.

~ God commands us to love the poor, the needy, the widows and orphans, so we spend less and give more, trusting God to give us the courage to live a humbler life than the rest of the culture. We set aside the resources and/or time, and God does the rest.

~ God says to disciple our children, so we talk to them about Jesus, about sin, about salvation, about God's work in our hearts. We share God's Word and we pray with them. We make sure our children are with us enough to accomplish this, and that we're not too busy ourselves. We make the time, God does the rest. The outcome is not our responsibility, just the obedience.

~ God commands us to be humble, so we practice not getting our way, and not consciously or subconsciously promoting ourselves before man, remembering our position before God, trusting the Holy Spirit to do the rest.

Working out our salvation is like a knee-jerk reaction. God commands something, we do it...without question or grumbling.


Philippians 2:14-16 

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life....

If we are Christians, God is speaking to us. We can't deny it, can we? He's nudging us to follow Him. The path is at times unspeakably difficult, like it was for Paul in prison, but that's where trust comes into play.

I will trust God, even though these hot coals will surely burn my feet. I will trust God, even though losing a job feels like the end of the world. I will trust God, even though having more children doesn't seem affordable. I will trust God, even though my husband doesn't deserve my devotion right now. I will trust God, even though my children are ansty when I read the Bible to them. I will trust God, even though I can't stand that neighbor across the way.

One important example came up recently in my own life. I wish I could say I trusted and obeyed immediately, but it's more an example of God's perseverance in my heart and life.

The children's ministry coordinator at our church resigned as of June 1. A notice went up in the bulletin in early May, asking for a successor. My heart immediately quickened. I have four children in Sunday classes and with that comes the responsibility to help make the programs a success.

But, I told myself, I have standing AWANA and VBS commitments, a once-a-month nursery commitment, and a Children's Bible study in my home each week (every other week in summer). I'm also a wife and homeschooling mother who teaches, prepares 21 meals a week, writes, and does laundry and cleaning.

How could I possibly be a children's coordinator? Especially when my boys have told me about behavior problems in the older classes (there are four rooms total). If having children hadn't retired me from teaching, behavior problems would have.

I knew coordinating means frequent teaching. Securing volunteers for children's ministry is very, very hard, and sometimes they get sick, or too busy and they resign. Or worse, they forget and don't show up sometimes.

I did nothing for two weeks, hoping someone else would step up. It seemed to me I needed more time to relax, not less.

The notice remained in the bulletin.

I realized I was grumbling in my mind, making excuses. God put the job on my heart right away and he wouldn't let me dismiss it.

In the third week I began praying, and then offered to coordinate for just the nursery and preschool rooms. I meet with the Pastor next week to discuss the ministry. I don't know if I'm a good fit for their vision, but I know God has given me skills to match the job.

I wrote the e-mail offering my service, and I'm trusting God to do the rest. My part is to be obedient; the outcome is not my responsibility.

Trust and obey.

1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Psalm 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”

Humility and Gratitude: Multitude Monday

Hello Friends and Happy Monday.

Twice I've written on humility this week: here and here. Today I'd like to explore the connection between gratitude and humility. Which begats which, do you suppose? Do I learn humility as I give thanks, or do I give thanks because I'm humble?

Wearing humility and thankfulness are not an option--not just an ideal. We're commanded in scripture to be both humble and thankful.

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done" 1 Chron. 16:8.

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5

Peter teaches that humility is something we put on, like our clothes for the day or our deoderant. It's not an easy garment to put on, but we must practice: we must wear it and walk in it.

But how? The short answer is that we do it through prayer, but there's a longer answer too. There's a fundamental truth we must grasp before we can put on humility and take off pride:

For from him and through him and to him are all things.

Our daily bread, shelter, clothes, family, jobs, gifts, friends, joy, peace, spiritual growth, and comfort. All of it is gift...undeserved gift.

Romans 11:33–36
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

It's when I grasp this concept that without God I am nothing and have nothing, that I begin to see everything as gift. I understand that I am completely dependent on God. He is the Almighty Living God and I am the created being. He is sovereign and all powerful; I am powerless and incapable of generating good outside of God's Holy Spirit.

This understanding of our position before God is crucial. We are beggars.

A beggar is thankful because he knows that without the handout, he starves. A beggar is humble because he has nothing; he has no source of pride. In fact, to be prideful--to quit begging to uphold some image--would mean sure starvation. A beggar can't afford pride.

From an early age we're conditioned to say thank you for birthday gifts. Not everything from God comes with birthday wrapping, but it's just as much a gift. When I begin to see these gifts--instead of feel entitled to them or take them for granted--I am thankful. My God is an awesome God! Without Him I am nothing. He's generous and loving. He sustains me. I praise You and thank you, Oh God!

Does a thankful person become humble, or does a humble person give thanks?

Yes and yes. A beggar is clothed in humility and gratitude. Both these graces are given to the beggar simultaneously by an Almighty God who loves to be glorified.

If God didn't love His own glory so much, He'd let us succeed in our own strength. But in fact we were created and saved to bring Him glory...not for our own pleasure. We are loved with an inexplicable, sacrificial love, and as that love transforms us, God receives His due glory. And we? We develop a love so deep, so all-consuming for Him, that we grow to delight in His glory.

A person who assumes a beggar's pose is one who fully understands; I am here for God's purposes and I get everything from Him.

When we come before the Lord begging for these graces, we are in fact praying. Our best prayer sessions with the Lord come when we are desperate, in full surrender, knowing we cannot generate what we need. Our hands are out-stretched. Our hunger is profound; we are humbled by dire need.

When in His infinite love He satisfies us, we're overcome with gratitude.

For from him and through him and to him are all things. 

 "When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, ‘He is good; His love endures forever’" (2 Chron. 7:3).

Giving Thanks Today

Dear Lord, thank you for these graces and blessings:

~ 3 bird nests in the yard

~ little girls cuddled against me, enjoying good books

~ a steadfast husband

~ more rain

~ squash coming up

~ a son who loves cultivating the ground, making beauty from dirt

~ a prolific strawberry patch in the backyard, delighting my snacking children

~ half-day summer school here at home

~ library programs

~ good friends

~ my Heavenly Father, who continues his good work in my heart in spite of  me

~ lessons on humility

~ the power of God's Word

~ my family extending everyday grace toward an imperfect mother, wife, and homemaker

~ church dresses from the thift store for my girls, all at the bargain price of the day, and flawless

~ a loving church family

~ far fewer headaches

~ time with my children every day

~ the bonding gift of the family read aloud 

~ a son who once hated math, saying he's good at it and he likes it

~ a boy who likes to write stories and has a way with words

~ a snapping turtle to observe

~ a large yard

~ a strong desire to put on humility

~ the blessings bestowed on the one who dares to beg God for daily bread and blessing, knowing that outside the Lord's handouts, there is no sustenance

What's blessing you today, my friend?

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26 Things About Humble People

Hello Friends and Happy Sunday. I mentioned that I'm studying humility during my quiet time. Ugh. It's been good, wonderful even, don't get me wrong. But what a learning experience.

How ashamed I've felt; I'm far from humility even after 16 years as a Christian.

I see this study as monumental in my Christian walk. God has been speaking to me loudly about humility for nearly 2 years, but only now have I begun to really study it.

My personal stumbling blocks are these:

~ When I work hard for others, I want to be thanked.

~ I sometimes think ill of others in a blind effort to build myself up in my own mind.

~ When I don't feel like I'm enough, I work harder, not for the Lord, but for myself.

~ I'm willing to criticize my housemates, but I'm hurt and sad when they criticize me; I even try to defend myself.

~ I care what others think of me.

There are other things, but these stand out today. It's only by the grace of a glorious God that I'm learning these things. My job now that I understand what humility truly is, is to pray for it in my heart and ask for forgiveness when I fail in it.

Humility, I think, is a matter of putting on God's glasses, so to speak. When I see myself through His eyes, I see my filth and my need for forgiveness and redemption. If I can just remember the view from the God glasses--one of filthy sin--my heart will reflect humility; it will reflect gratitude that He could possibly love me enough to submit to death on a cross for me.

If I trust him with my salvation, I can trust him with my worth, and not care about what I'm worth to others.

A humble person...

...knows who she is in Christ.

...has a grateful heart.

...does not need to defend herself.

...walks in the power of God's Holy Spirit, not in her personal power.

...puts others first.

...defuses arguments, rather than participates in them; she is a peacemaker.

...handles unfair treatment peaceably.

...receives criticism graciously and learns from it.

...is not devastated by her own failures.

...asks for forgiveness readily.

...is courteous and loving, even when she needs to be firm.

...seeks the good in others.

...feels strong in the Lord.

...is aware of her gifts, but understands they come from God's grace alone.

...sees herself through God's eyes rather than her own.

...confesses her sins before God and man.

...submits to authority.

...accepts a lowly place; does not seek to exalt herself.

...associates with the poor and lowly.

...chooses to serve others.

...forgives readily.


Rewards for being truly humble:

Humble people...

...receive God's favor. (Prov. 3:34)

...receive God's wisdom. (Prov. 11:2)

...find riches, honor and life. (Prov. 22:4)

...will be exalted by God. (1 Peter 5:6)

...can get along with others. (1 Samuel 25)

Humility Quotes:

Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. --C.S. Lewis

A man can counterfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility.-- D. L. Moody

The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. He has accepted God's estimate of his own life: In himself, nothing; In God, everything. He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him and he has stopped caring.-- A.W. Tozer

 Nothing disciplines the inordinate desires of the flesh like service, and nothing transforms the desires of the flesh like serving in hiddenness. The flesh whines against service but it screams against hidden service. It strains and pulls for honor and recognition. --Richard Foster

 Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying. -- Vincent de Paul

 I am sure that there are many Christians who will confess that their experience has been very much like my own—that we had long known the Lord without realizing that meekness and lowliness of heart should be the distinguishing feature of the disciple, as they were of the Master. Such humility is not a thing that will come on its own. It must be made the object of special desire, prayer, faith and practice. --Andrew Murray

I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but my chief duty is to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble -- Helen Keller
Simplicity is the nature of great souls.-- Papa Ramadas

We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed. --Brother Lawrence

How do we know if we have a servant’s heart? By how we act when we are treated like one!--Unknown

 Be not proud of race, face, place, or grace. --Charles Haddon Spurgeon

 Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.-- Thomas a Kempis

 The meek man will attain a place of soul rest. As he walks on in meekness he will be happy to let God defend him. The old struggle to defend himself is over. He has found the peace which meekness brings.-- A.W. Tozer

We have forgotten the gracious hand which has preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving Grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. --Abraham Lincoln

Your turn. What have you learned about humility this year?

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