Daily Bread for 5-24-10

2 Chronicles 26:16 – But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall.  He sinned against the LORD his God by entering the sanctuary of the LORD’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense alter.

Ah yes, we all know this one.  Pride cometh before a fall.  I’ve been journaling since I was in middle school.  My journal entries have always been prayers, like I’m writing letters to God.  I still do this.  It’s interesting to go back through them, especially the entries through college and my early 20’s.  Maybe painful is a better way to describe it, because I never wrote about the good times.  All of the writings are me crying out desperately to the Lord, begging Him to fix a certain situation, or to get me through something.  I rarely find a letter of worship, or thanks.  Yes, God and I were very close through the valleys.  Too bad I never sought Him on the mountaintops.  I missed out on some wonderful fellowship and intimacy with my Father.

I really believe that in my life, at least, God put some pitfalls right smack into the middle of my path so I’d fall.  Because so often that was the only time I would seek Him.  He loves us enough to do that.  He wants a relationship with us, so much so that He left His throne, wrapped Himself in flesh, and died a sinners’ death on the cross.  He’ll do whatever it takes to get our attention.  I’m trying very hard to make that  job easy on Him.

Moses warned the Israelites that we need to be most careful right after a victory.  Deuteronomy 8:11– But that is the time to be careful!  Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the LORD your God and disobey His commands, regulations, and laws.  Pride is a stealthy enemy.  It sneaks in very slowly.  When things are spinning out of control, we realize how much we need God.  When we’re in a season of blessing, we forget to call on Him.  We forget that what we have is really His.  We begin to think it’s by our own genius we’ve been blessed, by our own strength we’ve conquered.  That is pride, and God hates pride.

How do we keep pride away?  I try to journal and pray every day, especially when things are going well.  When we have an attitude of gratitude, it keeps us humble.  In our times of blessing, we should bless others and thank God for the opportunity to do so.  We should serve as often as possible, with a thankful heart.  As many of us know from painful experience, our lives can change with one phone call.  One meeting with the boss.  One split second of distraction on the road.  Over half of Americans are only two or three paychecks away from the street.  But for the grace of God, go I.

Today, thank God for everything you have, whether you’re in a season of blessing or need.  You don’t have to look far to see that in comparison to others, you have an abundance.  Thank God that He has gifted you with your particular skill set.  Ask Him how you can use it to further His Kingdom.  Ask for a generous heart, a heart to serve.  There is no greater blessing than to give or serve, no quicker way to fill your spiritual tank.  Tell God how much you love Him, and ask Him to remind you of how madly in love with you He is.  Now share that love with someone else.