The Guise of Self and Pride

Acts 12:21-23

"21And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost."

The subtle rising of pride never warns us of it coming. Only when it came that we found ourselves in the ocean of it. To reach for the buoy that says humility takes great effort to reach. To bask in it, one would drown eventually.

Life has given me much experience and observation. The singular desire to be heard, seen and known is the motivation in many things we do. We often live for the applause of men rather than the approval of God. And the inevitable thing, we deny it.

Psalms 139:23 says ,"Search me, O God, and know my heart;Try me, and know my anxieties;" I read with intrigue how John Newton when prayed the prayer of spiritual growth was immediately ushered by God to face a period of emptiness and self revelation.

We will never pray for pain and suffering. We never pray for the exposure of the sins we do in the dark. Let alone if our nature of our temptest self to expose the deeds of the flesh.

I fear this, that serving God is not that your utmost desire. Rather to gain the approval of men. That your standing is acknowledged by the nods of men. We guised it as serving God but honestly deep within, it is the hypocrisy of serving self.

That is why the passage of John 22:15-19 is like a treasue for the soul of man.

15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah,[b] do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah,[c] do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah,[d] do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

The deftness of God's exposing of our pride should leave us speechless and prostate. Like Peter. Only when humility comes that pride is replaced by a genuine love for Christ.

It is only well with my soul if I am will with the Saviour.

May you and I seek and desire God change us and live singularly for His glory.

Amen