Good Thursday morning! Have you parked your butt on that rickety chair again? You might not know which chair I'm writing about this morning, but last night I felt prompted to ponder that chair once more. The chair I write about this morning is called Pride. We sometimes find our place on that chair when we should be walking with Jesus. The world would have us believe in our selves and have therefore no need for a god, much less God. When sitting on that rickety chair of Pride, we try to take God's place. A sure sign of this is when you or I start using "I am" when we shouldn't. Now this is not the English "I am", but the Hebrew "I Am" that is the name of God. While sitting on that chair we may not realize that we are using the name reserved for God alone, but when we try to shut out God, that is what is happening.
Why do I call it a rickety chair? We know through the Holy Spirit that we are weak, stubborn, sinful, given to lust, covetous, and yes, proud in our human nature. All of that is from the stain of sin. In pride we say that "I Am" basically good. We might even try to include others in that to help support the rickety chair of Pride. "All humans are basically good at heart." You have heard that said before. If that were true we wouldn't need the boatload of laws and law enforcement personnel that we have today. That old chair looks a little shaky there. Pride also tells us to say that "I Am" good at something without giving the glory to God. Taking credit unto my self for talent or attributes that God has given to me is pride. In that case, I use my own gifts as supports for that chair of Pride and try to ignore God or at least place him at a distance.
Did you ever realize that the reason for that old Deist philosophy is to get God out of the way? Deism is the belief that God created the universe, wound it up like a watch, and then stood back to just, um, watch. Believing this allows a person to mount that rickety high chair of Pride because God is placed at a distance. Since He only watches, then all accomplishments are "mine". God doesn't interfere in our lives, or help out in any way, and so a person can then claim ownership of gifts, inventions, time, money, physical attributes, and anything else that might help support that Pride. Ah, but we know that God is right here, right now, and cares very much about each of us.
So what brings that prideful, creaking, shaking, chair down? A stiff breeze? Well, in a sense, yes. The chair we build when trying to sit on what we think is God's throne is often knocked down by just a little puff of the Holy Spirit. When I think back to the times when I have fallen off that chair I built, I find that a small event for God can be a very large event for me. When we give our lives to Christ, He cares enough to knock down our little Pride chairs. Looking up from a spiritually prostrate position, we see that God is very firmly on His throne, thank you very much, and that the Holy Spirit is busy sweeping away the little sticks of our Pride chair. We enjoy God's correction in our lives.
What about those who suffer the same or very similar events as we have and yet, they don't believe in God? Pride may be a rickety chair, but denial of that pride can be very strong. God will not force belief in Jesus and this allows pride to continue in some folks. You have probably heard them in person and on the telly, "I" recovered from this, "I" picked myself up from that, or "I" accomplished through "my" own skill, talent, training, etc...a lot of "I" and no glory for God. In their pride, people can and do ignore God, taking all the credit, glorifying themselves, and polishing their chair of Pride. The chair is just as rickety and shaky as any we have built, but they cannot realize it while ignoring God. Sometimes it borders on the ridiculous. Something happens in their life, everyone can see their Pride chair has fallen, but the person will continue proclaiming their "I Am" from the pile of sticks that was their "throne". Praise God that once in a while a person does look up from that pile of pride sticks and takes hold of God's hand. I did, you did, and anyone can look up from a shattered pride and give that old prideful self to Jesus.
One major benefit of giving up your self to Christ is in the Holy Spirit reminding you that all good things come from God. "I" didn't pick myself up from this event; God picked me up, dusted me off, and said, "walk with Me." Forgiveness for building that little, shaky, mockery of a throne is so wonderful! I pray that everyone will see God and know that He is God and "I" ain't.
Have a great day in Christ Jesus!
Bucky
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