1 Peter 5:6-11 – Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
THEME OF THE DAY: HUMILITY: THE FOUNDATION FOR LIFE AND GROWTH. Today’s scripture is rich and loaded. There are three things contained in it. We are given practical instructions on living the Christian life, encouraged by the grace of God, and reminded of the painful realities of living the Christian life.
First, the instructions. We are called to humble ourselves, which is basically, to see us as we are in the sight of God. Next, we are told to take life very seriously – “be sober-minded.” And the reason for that instruction is because of the next. We are engaged in an intense spiritual battle that never ends in this life against the chief foe of our souls; the devil. A third truth the Apostle Peter shares with us is the great grace found in our God. He is the God of all grace which means sufficient for all the things we encounter and are called to do in this life. The fourth thing appearing in this scripture is the reality of suffering as we live out these instructions. We battle anxieties in life. We suffer in life; a lot. We receive many wounds from our enemy. We grow weary, but the God of all grace sees us through – always.
As we consider the Apostle Peter’s great overview of the Christian life, he begins where all spiritual life and growth begins – humility. His first instruction is “humble yourselves.” Humility is the foundation for everything in the Christian life. Only the humble see their sin. Only the humble see their need of Christ. Only the humble cast themselves on Him alone for salvation and hope. Only the humble are teachable. And only the humble will grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18). We are told in the letter to the Hebrews, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). The life of a Christian is a life lived pursuing holiness or conformity to Christ. It is not a holiness or conformity accomplished by human works. It is a work of God in the heart, mind, and will of His people accomplished through their obedience to His Word. As we depend on the Spirit of God and exert the greatest of effort to obey all known commands of God, we slowly, but surely, change into the image of the Lord Jesus; an image that is marked by holiness. And the foundation for a life of pursuing holiness is a heart growing in humility. Yes, it is true, ‘without holiness, no one will see the Lord’, but it is equally true, without humility, there is no holiness” (2 Corinthians 7:1). And this is exactly where the Apostle Peter starts; the instruction, even command, to pursue humility which is a virtue attacked with great intensity by the devil. This is captured well by the 17th century Puritan Pastor Alexander Grosse in his book, “The Happiness of Enjoying and Making a True and Speedy Use of Christ.” Ponder his words below . . .
“The heart of man under the Gospel must be humble, empty of all spiritual pride and self-conceit, to receive the fire of the Spirit and Jesus Christ, who offered Himself a sacrifice for our sins. This keeps the soul free from many darts of Satan’s casting and snares of his spreading, as the low shrubs are free from the violent gusts and blasts of wind which shake and rend the taller trees. The devil has least power to fasten a temptation on him that is most humble. If ever therefore you intend to enjoy God’s glorious and blessed presence, labor for this humility and meekness.”
Do we want more of Christ? Let God work humility in us. Do we want to defeat every temptation? Let God work humility in us. Do we want to be more and more like Jesus? Let God work humility in us. After all, spiritual life and growth only grow in a heart whose soil is humility.
PRAYER: “Lord, help me to respond with glad submission to the work of humility You do in my life.”
QUOTE: “Without holiness we will not see the Lord, and without humility, there will be no holiness.”