How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? (Exodus 10:3)
25 Jan 26
Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Devotions on F.I.R.E. Year One
Readings:
Exodus 9
Exodus 10
Matthew 18:1-20
Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:4).
How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? (Exodus 10:3).
The Pharaoh stands out as an arrogant man who refuses to bow before the eternal God. He exemplifies the following teaching from Proverbs 29:1: “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” Today, when an adult acts like a child, we say, “Grow up.” Yet Jesus tells His adult followers, “Become like a little child.” Little children are totally dependent upon others for their needs. When Jesus gets tired of the disciples debating about their future greatness, He places a little child in their midst as an object lesson on humility (Matthew 18:1-2). Let’s humble ourselves like little children, which shows the Lord that we rely upon Him for everything!
Employment Point: Humble yourself before the Lord for future greatness.
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Reflections
For me, it is acknowledging that there are a lot of things to learn. That we aren’t perfect human beings, still work-in-progresses. Yet, the Lord didn’t look down on us, He gave us encouragement, sending angels to lift our spirits, giving us revelations so we have a personal experience with Him. We, who relies on the Lord, will be able to see His greatness and power in place.
On the other hand, we also ought to know if we are saying no, who we are saying it to. This is to the One who is sovereign, who is the creator of heaven and earth, the one who holds all powers and the one who had defeated death. Do we really want to defy or disobey such a person?
The times when I felt really small, like a kid standing among giants, is also where I realised how much or how long it takes to grow a person. It is a constant nurturing process. This has got nothing to do with our body size but how big the spiritual beings are, they are like mighty warriors but are yet loving, and gentle in nature. The image is like of a vast army, all fully armoured from head to toe, standing firm in the faith. Yet the Lord can still use me, a kiddo, to accomplish His plans.
More often than not, we want to come to the Lord prepared, ready, dressed nicely, in the right frame of mind, etc. however, I realised the Lord had never required us to do that. He prefers us to come to Him as real as we are with messy hair, no make-up, it doesn’t matter! He loves the real us and He prefers us as we are. And only when we can come to Him like that, broken, depressed, unable, is where His glory is revealed. For when I am weak, then I am strong (in Him).
“For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go.”
Exodus 9:15-17 NIV
- this gives us a glimpse of the mercy of God. He has the power to destroy and wipe out every single Egyptian but He chose not to. From another perspective, He is also showing us why some bad guys are still around. I guess in a way if we don’t have them, we will not realise how much the Lord has blessed us.
“Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.”Exodus 9:20-21 NIV
- Even the non-believers who feared the Lord can be saved. That’s how much grace the Lord has for all the people.
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Leave Room for God
BY OSWALD CHAMBERS
January 25
But when it pleased God . . . —Galatians 1:15 kjv
Have you learned how to leave space for God—to give him a little elbow room to work in your life? Too often, as we go about making our plans, we forget to leave a place for God to come in as he chooses. We say that this or that will happen, but none of our predictions leave room for the element of divine surprise.
Would we be shocked if God came into our meetings, our prayers, or our preaching in a way we’d never expected? However well we think we know God, we can never know exactly what he’ll do. What we canknow is that, when it pleases him, he will break in. This is the great lesson to learn—that at any minute God may arrive. We tend to overlook this element of surprise, and yet God never works in any other way.
Keep in constant, intimate contact with God, so that his surprising power may break through at any time and any place. Always be in a state of expectancy, and remember to leave room. Do not look for God to come in any particular way, but do look for him.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it.
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Reflections
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.””Matthew 18:20 NIV
This was exactly in the bible in one year devotion.
I think we ought to have the expectancy and also knowing that God is definitely with us, no matter where we are, working or sleeping. Where He knows all our coming in and going out.
To leave room for God allows for Him to have the final say, even as we make plans or think of our long term goals or short term aims. It is to trust and flow with Him till a time He tells us to make changes. It is a total surrender of letting Him be the driver and us the passenger, comfortably sitting in His car, knowing that He definitely knows what He is doing, where He is going and the route He will be taking us through to get there.
I think most definitely it’s the knowing that He is the one who takes charge and He is never wrong that gives me the added assurance that following Him is the way to go.
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