Pride was the great sin that started in motion a sad state for Adam and Eve and the entire human race. Humility and dependance on God is the opposite of pride. Pride says, “I can do it”….humility toward God says “You can do it”.
It was Saint Augustine who said, “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.”
While reading a devotional on humility recently from My Utmost for His Highest (portion below), I instantly felt a tug of conviction that I had not been very humble in a few areas of my life….very soon thereafter a poem of confession to God came to me and I wanted to share it with you.
Oswald Chamber’s Devotional for August 21, 2011
Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . —Matthew 5:3
The New Testament notices things that do not seem worthy of notice by our standards. “Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . .” This literally means, “Blessed are the paupers.” Paupers are remarkably commonplace! The preaching of today tends to point out a person’s strength of will or the beauty of his character— things that are easily noticed. The statement we so often hear, “Make a decision for Jesus Christ,” places the emphasis on something our Lord never trusted. He never asks us to decide for Him, but to yield to Him— something very different. At the foundation of Jesus Christ’s kingdom is the genuine loveliness of those who are commonplace. I am truly blessed in my poverty. If I have no strength of will and a nature without worth or excellence, then Jesus says to me, “Blessed are you, because it is through your poverty that you can enter My kingdom.” I cannot enter His kingdom by virtue of my goodness— I can only enter it as an absolute pauper. (To read the remainder of his devotional, click here.)
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A Darkened Grave to Me
Poor and empty I come to thee
An open state for you to see
In days gone past I tried so hard
To make a mark, to play my card.
In emptiness I stand just now
And look to You for what to fill
My heart is eager to be whole
To be filled with You alone.
Strivings of my days gone by
Left me tired, my heart to cry
The toil I’ve made to get to Thee
is but a darkened grave to me.
In my humbled heart today
I yield to Your undying way
I set aside my way to You
Instead I yearn for Your imbue.
