A rainstorm? What can we learn from a rainstorm? In Hawaii, working on a message on humility that would encourage my flock, sitting on the back patio of my in-laws home, a cloudburst sent waves of water down. The patio had a roof that
would keep the rain off me, however the sound of the large drops hitting the roof lulled my mind into a meditative state. Watching the water make its way through the puzzle of the grouted tile flooring was mesmerizing; my eyes were drawn to blades from the freshly mowed lawn being washed across the patio floor. The blades that were over the top of
the tile became stuck and could not move. The blades that were in the grout
grooves moved quickly and with ease. There was the example of humility. Taking the lower road, we will move quickly to our
goal – if we remain proud and take the higher road, we will become sluggish
and stagnant in our growth. We can learn a lot from a rainstorm!
God’s wisdom is far beyond what we can understand, yet in many ways;
at its foundation, there is simplicity! Like the example above, the blades
of grass that took the lower road
excelled. It is a simple principle, yet it is the every opposite of what the
world’s
normal view is. The world's view of how to get ahead, become important, is by taking the higher ground, by being self
sufficient, and self-exalting. God’s way is the in the other direction.
James 4:6, 10 But
He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God
is opposed to the proud, but gives
grace to the humble.”... Humble
yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
The more selfless you are, the more God will exalt you.
God's Way is excellent – even though we may not quite “get
it".
2 Samuel 22:31 “As for God, His way is blameless; The word
of the Lord is tested; He is a
shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Many times, something we may think is not very important, may
turn out to surprise us.
Take a common thistle; most of us think it is a painful
shrub only. Yet it is Scotland's Emblem! Why? In history Scotland was at war
with the Danes. The Danes planned a sneak attack, they came barefoot. When
their men began stepping onto thistles, their screams removed the secret!
Isaiah 55:8 “For
My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
Many times this reality causes us a problem with praising God's
ways. We demand to understand those ways, before we accept them. The opposite
should be the case. Accept His ways, praise Him for them...and in time, His
time...He may illuminate our understanding of why He led the way He did!
Matthew 16:21–23
From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem,
and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be
killed, and be raised up on the third day. Peter took Him aside
and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen
to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan!
You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s
interests, but man’s.”
Peter's intentions were good, but he was thinking in man's way. Jesus had to remind him, that God's ways are different. None of our Lord's disciples understood the way of salvation, until after the resurrection. How fortunate for all of us, that Jesus trusted His Father’s
way, if not we all would be lost forever!!
Meditation Questions: Why
do we find it so hard to walk by faith, and why do we desire to walk by sight? How
can we praise God for things we do not understand? What does it mean to trust? How
can we measure our own humility? Can we? Should we? How important do you think
you are? What would your closest friends say about that? Have you ever asked
them?
