The New Testament writer, James, son of both Mary and Joseph, came to believe in his half-brother, Jesus, as both God and Messiah. His biblical book gives us much wisdom, including on how to approach a holy God.
6 “God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6b (NKJV)
The prophet Isaiah also extolled the virtues of humility whenever we come into God’s presence. These words, delivered to the people of Judah in the time of their kings, also apply to us today.
15 For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57:15 (NKJV)
We are advised to approach God with a humble spirit, not a heart full of pride. But what is humility and what is pride?
First of all, humility is not humiliation or self-hatred. It is not placing ourselves far below others in value or self-worth, or subjecting ourselves to ridicule or self-flagellation. It is honestly recognizing who we are, both our strengths and our shortcomings, and placing ourselves before God and other people in a proper perspective. His loving perspective.
Before God, we come to Him as one who has fallen short of His holiness in our thoughts, words, and actions, and we admit our sins to our Creator. We recognize the many blessings that the Lord has given us, and that our own personal achievements have been greatly aided by His grace and favor. We can be proud of others and their accomplishments, and even for things we have been able to do, without being “prideful”. Humility is not taking full credit ourselves, but remembering to give God the credit for His role and the many things He has done to make these achievements possible.
Before others, humility reminds us that God loves them just as much as He loves us, and that He expects us to love them, too. God does not want us to judge others, but to do self-examination to judge only ourselves. When we have done wrong, we approach Him for forgiveness and ask for the strength to do better the next time. He will gladly extend to us the grace and mercy we need on each occasion that we do so.
Unlike humility, pride is believing that we are better than others, and that we, not God, are the center of our world and the sole author of our accomplishments. Pride puts others down, if only in our mind, to secure our place on a pedestal of superiority. Many of us have been tempted to think this way at one time or another.
Pride also says: “I will get even” or “I will get revenge for that!” It flares up in anger when we have been disrespected or overlooked by others. It can turn to envy when others prosper or get the recognition or awards that we want for ourselves.
God hates pride, but at the same time, we are all guilty of it at times. How do we deal with that? This is where Isaiah’s reference to a contrite spirit comes in.
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines “contrite” as “feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming”.
God has given each of us a conscience. We can ignore it for so long that it will no longer speak to us, but it is still there. In Christ, the Holy Spirit will restore our conscience and use it to bring our attention to any thoughts, words, or actions which have taken us outside holy boundaries and have displeased God, and perhaps hurt others. These are the things the Lord wants us to bring before Him to acknowledge and to humbly seek His forgiveness for. When we approach God in this contrite manner to seek forgiveness, He will never turn us away, but will completely absolve and cleanse us, allowing us to abide in His holy presence. There is not a more peaceful or serene place in all of creation than resting in the presence of the Lord, lovingly cleansed, and grateful for all that He has done for us.
A humble and contrite spirit allows God to restore us and to help us rebuild our damaged or broken relationships with others. When offered in faith, it is the key to approaching a holy God.
Reflection
Gratitude is a humble recognition of all the wonderful people, experiences, blessings, and gifts that God has put into our lives. It brings us a sense of peace as we reflect upon His unending goodness and care.
What are you grateful for today?
Lord, thank You for all the wonderful things You have done for us – all the people, places, and things that You have shared with us in our lives. Thank you for Jesus who made the ultimate sacrifice to cleanse us for eternity. Help us to be humble and grateful for all that You have done and will do for us. Our greatest gifts and accomplishments have all come from Your hand, and we know that the very best is yet to come. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Have a beautiful and blessed day in the Lord today.
Daily Meditations from the Genealogy of Jesus 