WATCHWORD:
39 Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see[b] that they are blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?” 41 “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see”. John 9:39-41
12 So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. 13 And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil. Mark 6:12-13
Meditation:
[Hey, did you know that my book, you know the one I wrote…I wrote that. It is so good and so Biblical, and so well written. You have to get a copy. October 30… Mark your calendars! You are going to be impressed!
What’s that you say, Lord? What? Oh, yes, I will, I’ll write that meditation in just a little bit. What? Okaaay, I’ll write it now. What do you want me to write on? Really? That’s the topic, huh?]
Pride
I have been told that pride always brings regret. Yes, and I was also told that pride causes spiritual blindness. And my Lord says, “Read My Words!”
Yes, I have heard that pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. That is one of Your Proverbs. Yes, I do know what that means, what do you take me for…? Oh, you do. I am so sorry. You want me to read some more of Your words?
“Who is as blind as my own people, my servant? Who is as deaf as my messenger? Who is as blind as my chosen people, the servant of the Lord?” Isaiah 41:19.
Please, Lord. What are you telling me? You call me servant, but I am not blind. Who is the deaf messenger? I hear okay. What? Read more.
“Listen, you foolish and senseless people, with eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear.” I know that one, Jeremiah 5, verse 21, I think.
Once again, Lord, who are those foolish and senseless blind and deaf people you keep talking about? What was that? You said I should think about that?” Oh, yeah!
Enough about an imaginary, yet real, conversation with the Lord. Too often we are the blind and the deaf, we are the foolish and the prideful. Too often we prefer to look away and pass by on the other side, rather then to go and do likewise. Pride creeps into our everyday life in so many ways, very subtle, very silently we judge others, we are critical of others, we fail to listen to the other person maybe because we think we are so right and they are not.
One thing we know about all of those attributes of pride, as Joyce Meyer has said, it’s like we put them on a wheel and it turns and in time it will all come back to us.
But, what does the Bible say about pride? Let’s start with this from Job 41:34 where God gives Satan the title of “king over all the children of pride.” What do you think about that? Both James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 quote Proverbs 3:34 which says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Then in John 8:44, there is this: “The king of pride is Satan, and his children are those who show his characteristics.”
There are several interesting names for Satan; Adversary, Angel of the bottomless pit, and a Hebrew name Abaddon, or destruction, or a Greek name Apollyon, meaning destroyer. So, understand that Satan is the king of pride, a destructive and destroying adversary. Yikes!
In Daniel 5, we have that scene where a hand writes on the wall and King Belshazzar has Daniel explain the meaning, which were God’s instructions for a changed life. But the King was entertained, and did not learn, he heard but did not listen, and he certainly didn’t act. Shortly after, the King is killed.
Let’s be clear. We are all nudged along by the graces of the Holy Spirit. It makes no difference whether we are reaching out to another, fixing meals for those in need, writing devotionals, poems or books, creating art with paint or yarn, sculpting with wood or stone, behind all that is the urging of that higher power, that inspiration that translates into masterpieces of grace. We need to give credit where credit is due. To our Lord.
Allow me one more point. In the Acknowledgment page of my book, I wrote about George Bennard, the Methodist minister who wrote the hymn The Old Rugged Cross. When asked about authoring one the most beloved of hymns, he said, “I was merely the instrument God used.” I feel the same way about these projects. If by chance you read the book, or these devotionals and find good “stuff” that speaks to you, that would be from God. I was but a humble scribe. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
Bulletin Board:
Weekend humor — A seaman meets a pirate in a bar and talk turns to their adventures on the sea. The seaman notes that the pirate has a peg leg, a hook, and an eye patch. The seaman asks, “so, how did you end up with the peg leg?”
The pirate replies, “Har, we were in a storm at sea, and I was swept overboard into a school of sharks. Just as my men were pulling me out, a shark bit my leg off.” “Wow!” said the seaman. “What about your hook?”
“Har,” replied the pirate, “we were boarding an enemy ship and were battling the other sailors with swords. One of the enemy cut my hand off.”
“Incredible!” remarked the seaman. “How did you get the eyepatch?” “A seagull dropping fell into my eye,” replied the pirate.
“You lost your eye to a seagull dropping?” the sailor asked incredulously.
“Har”, said the pirate, “it was my first day with the hook.”
Morning Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you have promised never to forsake or leave us. Teach us day by day the deep rewards of faithful ministry and most of all help us to know always the reward of being near to you. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen.
