7/20/2022 • Desk of Dennis Piller
Humility is the only way to Holiness!
I have been reading a book by Andrew Murray, written over 100 years ago called Humility, and it has struck one of the deepest chords in my soul. It is the answer to pride… humility reveals a heart that is desperate for God.
As a Christian, I too have faced the struggle with pride in its blatant arrogance and its subtle condescension. The more I have tried to be humble, the more often I have failed… ending in this spiral of defeat. But it is not beyond us.
Humble dependence on God is the basis of all true blessings, but we must model our life after Jesus’ life, finding joy in serving while adding power to our witnessing. True humility is bringing our focus back to God and walking in His will as never before.
Murray shows us the three great motives that inspire us to be humble. It defines us as:
1. A created being. 2. A sinner. 3. A Saint. The first motive we see in the Angels before the fall.
The second motive points to us all in our fallen state and shows us the only way we can return as part of God’s creation.
In the third motive, we have the mystery of grace, that as we lose ourselves in the overwhelming greatness of God’s love, humility fills us with everlasting contentment and worship.
He says the second aspect has been emphasized too often. Some have said living in condemnation is the secret to humility or that we must keep sinning to stay humble. We know that is wrong thinking but too many Christians have not been properly shown their relations as created beings…
Nothing is more natural and beautiful and blessed than to be nothing…
that God may be all!
It has not been made clear that sin does not humble us the most, but grace. That person led out of sinfulness to realize God as creator and Redeemer is the one that will take the lowest place before Him. For us, as Christians, to live a fulfilled life, it is vital to understand our need for humility.
We need to understand what motivated Jesus to live the way he did. We must stand the same ground if we are to become more like him. We will see that just as Jesus found His glory in becoming a servant, so He also said to us, “Whosoever would be first among you, shall be your servant”. Matt 20:27 He taught there is nothing so divine as being a servant and helper of all.
The faithful servant who recognizes his position finds real pleasure
in serving the master or his guests.
When we see that humility is something infinitely deeper than repentance, and accepted as sharing in the life of Jesus, we shall begin to learn that it is our true honor. We will find that being servants of all is the highest fulfillment of our destiny – Human beings created in the image of God.
When I look back at my own life and my experiences in many church’s I am amazed at how few Christians seek humility as the defining feature in their walk to become disciples of Jesus. It is evident that humility is not valued as a vitally important virtue. However, it is the only route from which good character can grow, the one essential of true fellowship with Jesus.
Those who are seeking deeper holiness have not always done so with increasing humility. This book by Andrew Murray is a loud call to all serious Christians to prove that meekness and lowliness of heart are the sign by which those who follow the meek and humble Lamb of God are known.
I asked myself the question. Why is it we feel holding on to our own greatness or individuality diminishes us – when becoming more like Jesus, surely surpasses our own quest for greatness and our hopes and worldly aspirations?
Father help us as we navigate the deeper waters of the truth of humility.
Lord that you would help me to surrender all.
Tomorrow, Humility: the glory of the creature. Revelations 4:10–11 “they cast their crowns before the Throne, saying worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will, they existed and were created.
Phil Driscoll You Deserve The Glory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmdaV0ES8MU
