Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 25:1-7
Prov 25:1-7
1 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied. 2 It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. 3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable. 4 Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel; 5 take away the wicked from the presence of the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness. 6 Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, 7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
Luke 14:7-11
Now he [Jesus] told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
On another occasion, Jesus told the twelve: “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Humility is an interesting study but difficult to explain and even harder to practice. It is the opposite of pride. It is the recognition of the strength of God in us, but never in ourselves. It is difficult to learn true humility because it is best taught when we get knocked down on our face, but when we think we have it, we have lost it. It is not what we do, but who we are.
Moses is said to be the most meek of all men. The mighty Moses who defied the Pharaoh of Egypt and his armies. But this is the same Moses who tried to free his people but failed and fled Egypt, and then served as a shepherd in a foreign land for forty years. When he emptied himself of himself, God was ready to use him.
O God, giver of life and all things that exists, I praise you for your majesty and I thank you for your love. Thank you for providing a way through Jesus for me to have my sins forgiven and to have my fellowship with you restored. Thank you for being my Father and for always looking out for my best interest and for protecting me in more ways than I can possibly know. Thank you for being a God of mercy and compassion, even in your absolute justice. Thank you for all that you have put into my life for me to enjoy. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
