Bible Reading: Ezekiel 40; 1 Peter 5
“Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him ; for he careth for you” 1 Peter 5:6-7 (KJV)
The place of humility in our Christian journey and service cannot be overemphasized. God hates proud and haughty persons because the Almighty God despises pride and arrogance. This is clearly stated in Proverbs 16:5(KJV), “Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.” In contrast a humble person is the delight of the Most High God and is upheld by honour. “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.” Proverbs 29:23(KJV). Riches and honour are the products of humility, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” Proverbs 22:4(KJV).
In James 4:6(KJV), the bible says “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth more grace unto the humble.” Talking about humbling oneself under the mighty hand of God, Christ is the most practical example ever. Truly God’s hand is mighty and humanly incomprehensible, and His ways are past finding out. Allowing the level of mockery and humiliation Christ has to go through and submitting Himself to die the shameful death on the cross speaks volumes of His mighty hand. Jesus Christ, who came from the Father realizing the mightiness of His power, willingly submitted Himself to the will of God. The scripture talking about God’s mighty hand says in Philippians 2:8(KJV), “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” This is the height of submission to the mighty hand of God. God’s mighty hand is the judgmental power of God. He judged the whole world on Christ and condemn Him to die bearing the judgment against sin. No wonder the scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5:21(KJV), “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
There are unquantifiable benefits in humbling oneself under the mighty hand of God. However, to enjoy the exceedingly great benefits, your submission must be with total dependency on God’s will. We must learn to cast our care on Him, because He truly loves and cares for us. God watching His Only Begotten Son die like a criminal with deep excruciating pain does not preclude the fact that Jesus is God’s begotten Son in whom He is well pleased. We see the great result of Christ total submission and dependent on the Father producing the highest honour among men, angels, spirits and gods in due time, as stated in Philippians 2: 9-11(KJV), “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father.” In the same manner the bible in our focal scriptural verse promises our exaltation in due time if we apply humility in our service to God. In James 4:10(KJV) the scripture says “Humble yourselves in the sight of Lord, and he shall lift you up.” The place of humbleness or humility in our service to God is of great value. When we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, it connotes great reverence and fear of the Lord. Humility in the service of God generates the true fear of God which in effect translates into divine wisdom. The fear of the Lord the scripture says is the beginning of wisdom. When we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God we keep His commandment.
My dear reader, we can only operate in humility in our service to God through the acceptance of Jesus Christ in our live, which in turn opens our heart to the entrance of the Holy Spirit to abide in and within us. I therefore admonish you to make haste and surrender your life to Him that is able to keep and preserve you to the end.
Action Point: Carry out a thorough examination of your life and service to God to determine your level of humility in carrying out this service before God.
Pastor Joel Ezeugo