Beating pride

 Psalm 30:1–12 (ESV):  

1  I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up 

and have not let my foes rejoice over me. 

2  O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, 

and you have healed me. 

3  O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; 

you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. 

4  Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, 

and give thanks to his holy name. 

5  For his anger is but for a moment, 

and his favour is for a lifetime. 

Weeping may tarry for the night, 

but joy comes with the morning. 

6  As for me, I said in my prosperity, 

“I shall never be moved.” 

7  By your favour, O Lord, 

you made my mountain stand strong; 

you hid your face; 

I was dismayed. 

8  To you, O Lord, I cry, 

and to the Lord I plead for mercy: 

9  “What profit is there in my death, 

if I go down to the pit? 

Will the dust praise you? 

Will it tell of your faithfulness? 

10  Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! 

O Lord, be my helper!” 

11  You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; 

you have loosed my sackcloth 

and clothed me with gladness, 

12  that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. 

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! 

This psalm of David’s tells of a time of great restoration. He was very unwell at one point of his life, so much so that people were preparing for his death. He himself thought he was going to die and his enemies were enjoying watching his demise. Yet, God brought David back from the brink of life to be restored, healed and forgiven. 

David acknowledges that the reason God brought him so low was because he had become too self and worldly-reliant. He had thought, “I shall never be moved” - nothing can touch me, I am doing well, life is good and nothing can change that. He had begun to feel proud of his achievements and wealth and felt secure in those things. Each of us can be guilty of the same thing, can't we? Being satisfied in oneself and your accomplishments without recognising that it is all due to God’s favour, is pride. Pride is dangerous as you can become self-reliant, over-confident and selfish. A proud person is not good in community and takes glory and honour away from God. All of us have to overcome pride, no-one is immune to it. Maybe it’s pride in; achievements, monetary gain, wisdom, family, heritage or renown. Whatever you have the propensity to be proud in - WATCH OUT! Proverbs rightly says that pride comes before a fall. David’s story in this psalm is proof of that, and I am sure you can recount stories of others who took their eyes off of God, became confident in other things and have paid a hefty price for it. 

Honour and blessings are great and can come from other places than God. When this happens this can cause a mindset of self-sufficiency and self-worth to build that takes the focus off of God and what He has done. When this happens people fall disgracefully. David found that as he prospered his mindset shifted from one of total dependence and reliance on God to feeling like he could rely upon the power, responsibility, influence and wealth that he had built. He came to trust in himself, his role, and his stuff. So a time of terrible, degrading illness came to remind him who really was in charge. 

 By your favour, O Lord, 

you made my mountain stand strong; 

you hid your face; 

I was dismayed. 

In order for David to realise that God was the source of all he had, and who really is worthy of glory, honour and trust, God, 'hid' His face. God turned away. Why? Because how can you teach, influence or even bless someone that has become proud? It can feel like hitting your head against a brick wall. Sometimes the best help you can give is give them space so that they realise absence feels like. That's what God did with David, and what He may do to you if you get caught in the same spiral. God wants to give you favour, but if you deny Him and start to believe in your own power, authority and gifting how can He? You need to remember who is the one who has built these things into your life and who should be honoured and thanked for them. 

Thankfully, you can always repent and turn back to God when you realise that you've become trapped in self-sufficiency and self-worth, where pride has taken control. David repented and was miraculously restored both physically and spiritually as, ‘his anger is but for a moment, and his favour is for a lifetime.’ When you acknowledge that you have fallen into the sin of pride, and want to be free of it, you can be forgiven and restored. God only remains angry for a little while, but His favour and blessing can last the rest of your life! You just need to turn back to Him, acknowledge where you've gone wrong and accept His forgiveness. It doesn't even matter if you keep getting the same thing wrong, and it seems to take you a while to learn often making the same mistakes. God does not remain angry with a repentant heart. His desire is to have a relationship with you, to be your father and pour out his lavish love and gifts upon you so that you can enjoy them and use them to glorify Him. So at your next success, honour, encouragement, promotion and blessing remember to be grateful to God. Remember who has helped you get there and give honour to God for it. This will save you from pride and ensure that you're living in His favour for the rest of your lifetime!

God promises to turn your life around - will you let Him?

‘The exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the Negeb. 21 Saviours shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.’

Obadiah 20–21.

In these verses God shows the culmination of the prophecy over Edom and Israel. One day, the Israelites, the exiles of Jerusalem, that were once outcasts and looked down upon, will become landowners. They will have provision, not just for themselves, but will also become ‘saviours’ for others. Mount Esau will also be transformed - From a place of pride and self-sufficiency to a kingdom where God reigns. 

God can turn lives around. 

God doesn’t design things to be destroyed. He didn’t want the Edomites to suffer and be wiped out, but the way they were going was already destroying themselves and those around them. These people of Edom had become sinful and a terror for people following God. They led others to persecute and kill the Israelites and they were proud of it. In this book God is showing how that is going to change. No more will His people be those that are abandoned, alone and without, but they will have their own place, their own land and they will prosper. Those that were once kicked out, dragged off, persecuted, bedraggled and mistreated will become owners, leaders and helpers. They will transform the mountain where their enemy lived into one where God's kingdom is. Where truth, justice and love prevail so much so that ‘saviours’ will be there. There will be those available to help, heal and lead the people of God into real freedom. Not the perceived freedom the Edomites had been living where everyone did what they wanted in order to get what they wanted. 

This is a radical turn-around of events. The place of worldy prosperity and self-sufficiency (Mount Esau) is promised to become a place led by God! It seems unbelievable and unreal, but God can turn any life, any situation and any place around. No matter the current circumstances, your history, or what you’ve got yourself into - there is hope, and there is rescue available. God can turn your life around if you let Him. 

If you are feeling like you are stuck, that there are things that are coming against you, or that you've got involved in things that you wish you hadn't, then you can ask God to intervene. You can call out to Him and ask for rescue. Ask Him to remove you from the place of Edom, to send you 'saviours' - people who can help you out of this mess. There are people willing and able to help because they too have been saved by the love of God through the greatest saviour, his son, Jesus. 

If you ask God to change your life, He will. It will mean some changes required from you too - after all, you have changed the rulership. When you ask God for help, you give Him permission to be the commander of your life, not you. This is because when you are in control, look where it ends up - becoming fed up of the drive for independence and self-gratifying behaviour, never being satisfied, stuck in a never-ending loop seeking self-fulfilment which brings chaos, destruction and defeat. When you invite God in to help you, God will invite you to make a change and invite you to the place where He reigns. This will turn your life around.

We see how God had a plan for the Edomites and the Israelites in this book of Obadiah. He also has a plan for your life. A plan where you will have possession over some things, where you will be provided for, and have purpose as well as the ability to lead others to salvation. Your life can be transformed when you trust God. You can escape the torment and suffering of years gone by, and have a prosperous future prepared for you. You can be transformed from feeling forgotten and downtrodden to being recognised, safe and given purpose. 

God promises to turn your life around - will you let Him?

which mount are you living on?

In historical times, mountains were places where people often worshipped as they were believed to be physically closer to where the gods lived. They became places where altars were made and items of worship placed. High places were sought after as a place to worship, and as a place of safety as the height in itself is a good defence. Therefore it is interesting as we read Obadiah to hear of two high places. The Edomites are said to have lived on a high place, ‘in your lofty dwelling’ (v3) and, ‘among the stars’ (v4), where they felt secure and powerful. Then in v17, we hear about Mount Zion, a place of refuge and holiness;

17 But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble’

Obadiah 17 - 18

So here we have the mention of the second high place, seemingly in contrast to the mount of Edom. Yet there are similarities as they are both elevated, and both are used as places of worship. It is like the two places have the same opportunity, but they have been used for different purposes. One place (Edom) has been used to glorify man, and the other (Zion) will be used to glorify God. Both are places of worship, but worship for very different things. They are both places of worship, but what is it that is worshipped there and what does it lead to? 

The two high places could be a metaphor for the way of the world (Edom), and the way of God (Zion). The mount of Edom represents the way most people of this world are living. It seems; comfortable, easy, successful and the self is gratified, you can do what you want. It seems that you can feel good being there, because the aim is to please yourself, but when you get a lot of people together doing that same thing, seeking to please oneself, it is only a matter of time before that stops being fun and becomes scary. It might seem like this way offers much, but take a deeper look. Is doing whatever you want real satisfaction and purpose? Plus, where is that way of life leading? Even if you think this is the kind of life you'd like and want to lead, consider what this lifestyle had become for the Edomites - it had become home to selfishness and pride which led to destruction, devastation and betrayal. It was a place that promised much and seemed pretty good at first glance, but when you got to really know the life of Edom, it is full of deception. selfishness and adversity. Due to the material success and position, it seemed like a good place to be, but the reality is this lifestyle comes at a cost and eventually delivers death as its reward. 

That doesn’t have to be your future. There is another kingdom, another mount, another way of life. Yet, it may not offer all you want because it is not the way of the world or the way self, but the way of God. If you choose to live on Mount Zion, in God’s kingdom, you will be following His rules and His ways. Not your own or anyone else’s. If you are fed up with the never ending search for self-sufficiency, improvement, bigger and better then why not try moving to this mount? On Mount Zion God tells us there will be acceptance, holiness and possessions, there is an inheritance waiting for you that you can grab hold of. There is a future that involves possessions not death or stubble! 

As well as the Mount of Edom, there is also Mount Zion. You can choose which one you go to, which one you build your life upon.

*32*And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. 

Joel 2:32.

God gives you the choice- you can choose to live with Him or without Him - Mount Edom or Mount Zion. Both places have a future, but what do you want yours to look like? 

Pride or accountability?

As we continue our journey through the book of Obadiah, we can see how the Edomites have been fairly warned by God about the fact that their downfall is coming. They are going to suffer because of their pride and treatment of their kin, the Israelites. They can expect to be utterly destroyed, not just lose their possessions and livelihoods, but also their lives. They shall be completely wiped out as they have lived with pleasure and self-gratification rather than acknowledging God and their responsibilities to others. Doesn't this sound like a familiar story in our day and age? People out to get what they want instead of considering what their life is really about and disregarding others in the process? Is not this what society promotes even? A self-sufficient, independent me-first mentality? 

If you can relate to this, then take some time to consider what the outcome could be for you and those around you. It is not too late to make things right. The issue with the Edomites was that they were quite satisfied with their lot in life, and they did not wish to change. God gives us all a chance to change - the question is, are you going to take it?

The way Obadiah expresses the following verses, with the repeated, 'do not' it seems to be as if he is imploring the Edomites to change. It is not too late to recognise the errors of their ways, to change their attitude towards Judah. It is not too late to repent. Yet, they do not wish to listen. The day of the Lord is near, and the day of the punishment is coming, but the Edomites do not wish to see or hear of it;

10 Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. 11 On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. 12 But do not gloat over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin; do not boast in the day of distress. 13 Do not enter the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; do not gloat over his disaster in the day of his calamity; do not loot his wealth in the day of his calamity. 14 Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress. 15 For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. 

Obadiah 10–15.

Do not…do not…do not… what do you think when you read this list of don’ts? I read it and think it is a little bit late! The Edomites have already done these things. They have gloated and rejoiced over Judah’s downfall, they have boasted and been a part of their destruction, they watched and took advantage of their fellow Israelites downfall, they did take their stuff and lead others to capture them. So, isn’t it a bit late?

Yet, is never too late to try to make amends. To apologise and seek forgiveness. I think the real problem with Edom was not the fact that they had done things wrong and treated people badly, but that they were unwilling to admit it, change and seek forgiveness. Instead they had become full of pride, gloating and aloofness. Not only had they assisted the downfall of their brothers, but they were pleased about it.

Can it not be the same with us? 

Consider; a parent, friend, mentor, boss giving you some advice and guidance - calling you to account for something you have done and letting you know so that you can sort it out - but you ignore them and carry on. Pride takes over and you probably feel annoyed and aggrieved. Yet they were only trying to help you. Help you admit and correct your mistakes so that you can live free of guilt, shame and the consequences that will surely follow your wrongdoing. I am sure you have had an experience like that, we all have. Yet, how do you respond now in those circumstances? It is easy enough to get offended and react in annoyance, but do you lay aside that pride and sorted things out? or do you live with the hard consequences of pride? 

Conversely, have you ever had to be the one calling someone else to account? Knowing that this conversation is difficult and unwanted by both parties, but necessary because you care and want to guide the person to a better outcome, so that they can rectify mistakes and relationships. It is really difficult and frustrating when those people do not listen isn’t it?! When they are so full of pride, denial and arrogance that they do not want to admit any wrongdoing or rectify anything. Then you have to make it clear, if you don’t, then the consequences will hurt. 

I know you probably do not want to think of yourself in either of these situations, they are always uncomfortable. Yet, we are all human, and therefore you will make errors and have to sort them out, and you will be required to help others sort out theirs too. There are people that care about your life that will seek to hold you to account, and there are people that you care about that you will do the same for. God also does so. He cares about you and I infinitely more than anyone else could. He knows your ways, and He wishes the best for you, and sometimes what you get yourself into is not the best, just like for Edom. When that happens are you going to humble yourself and listen? Push aside pride, own up and sort out the mistakes you have made? God can use other people like Obadiah to speak truth to you and open your eyes, how are you going to respond when He does? 

Are you Living?

Some people believe that to be living means; breathing, heart pumping, brain working or even being able to love and be loved, to have an income, or pursue a particular lifestyle and have fun. But is that all that living is about?

How about looking at this from the perspective of someone who believes in God and has chosen to be a disciple of Jesus - what does living mean then?

“He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”

Matthew 10:39

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Romans 6:8

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Romans 8:12-13

What do all of these verses from the Bible tell us ?............That in order to live, we must die.

What does that look like?

This does not mean to physically die, although we will all do that one day, (and so you need to be prepared for that). It does lead us to think about baptism - the physical demonstration of your life dying as you believe and put your life in the hands of Jesus. That is part of it. But, this sense of living by dying is surely more than that one act. It is a lifestyle. If you have been baptised, that is a great commitment to God, but this dying to self is worked out over a lifetime, it is not just a one-off event. That's where it starts. When you are baptised you put to death yourself and choose to live for Christ as a result, it is not like the next version of yourself, the new improved version of you - No! You have died and chosen for Christ to live in you through the Holy Spirit. This involves a whole lifetime of putting Jesus in the driving seat of your life. It means dying to the things you want and expect and what others expect of you.

Being alive in faith is about living sacrificially not selfishly. 

That looks like how you handle the big and the small things in life; 

How you speak to people, how you respond at work, the job you have, how you raise your family, spend your money, look after your body and  the possessions you have. 

To lose your life most likely means making radical decisions that the rest of society look at and think you’re bonkers! It means considering God above everything else and putting what He wants for you above what you want for yourself. I don’t speak as someone without experience here. 

There was a time in my life when I gave up the best job I ever had. Not because I wanted to, because I really didn’t, but because God asked me to. I was really upset, disappointed and reluctant to do it. I loved that job, I was successful, had a good rapport with all my colleagues, was making a real difference to the lives of young people, and God invited me to give it up to focus on family. Some people may jump at that chance, but for me it was a really difficult thing. Family at the time was so hard. I went to work for relief and to feel like I had a positive impact somewhere at least because home was, I don’t even know how to describe it, but it was emotionally, physically and mentally draining. It was were I put in my best effort but I felt like I was being dragged through the mill really. 

So, being handed this choice between work and family, between where I felt successful and a failure, it was a heart-wrenching decision. It was not easy. Dying to yourself never is is it? Being sacrificial isn’t - it’s dying a bit inside. Yet, what do you do?

You have probably guessed it already, but I did give up the job. It was not easy. It did not transform our family immediately, but it was life-changing. I didn’t particularly like it, but I did do as God asked. 

Do I regret it? No. 

I have never regretted being obedient to God, but I have regretted the times when I haven’t been. 

There are times when I have felt God prompt me to do something, maybe talk to or pray for someone and I have bottled it because I was embarrassed and fearful - those are the times I regret. Each time I have walked away feeling sad that I have missed out and that person has also missed out on potentially meeting a God who loves them. I have never once regretted talking-to or offering to pray for someone when God has prompted me to, even if they didn’t seem to respond at the time. 

God does not want us to live in fear, but it was for freedom that Christ has set us free (Galatians 5). God wants us to REALLY live. He doesn’t want us to feel like we have missed out (like I do when I don’t do what I know I should), he wants us to live free from that worry and shame. He wants us to have LIFE!

In every one of the gospels, Jesus is quoted as saying that he who wants to save his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for Jesus' sake will find it.

Do you want  to find your life? 

It means that you must start living life sacrificially not selfishly by putting Jesus on the throne of your life, not yourself or anyone else. The promise is, if you are willing to give up your life and put it in God's hands, you  will find life in all it’s fullness. It will not be easy - it is a sacrifice after all! But our life will be greater, it will be freer and you will really learn to live. 

So, do you really want to live? 

If so, how does that look for you right now? 

Maybe God is inviting you to trust Him is some way. It could be that you take the first steps in acknowledging that there is a God after all that really cares about it. It could be that God is challenging in a different way; to look at your finances, job, family, leisure time, possessions or relationship. Whatever it is, are you going to take God up on His challenge? 

Are you ready to live?

If you do well, will you not be accepted?

 Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. *3*In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, *4*and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, *5*but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. *6*The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? *7*If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 

Genesis 4:2-7

What was Cain’s problem?

Some may know the section of scripture that comes next, but do you notice the indicators in these verses that something is wrong? Clearly, Cain wants to be the best, and be recognised as not just being accepted, but better than his brother. When he is not, he becomes jealous. This leads to disappointment and anger, but not regret or remorse. It seems that Cain’s offering was more about himself than about honouring God. He did it so God would be happy and commend him, instead God challenged and corrected him, yet Cain would not heed the advice. God even warned him that his mindset could lead to sin - so far he had not sinned in this situation, but God told him that if he didn’t sort out his own heart and response then it would lead somewhere he shouldn’t seek to go. The encouragement for Cain was to listen to instruction and learn to manage himself, to learn self-control. 

This is the kind of worship God seeks.

Are you someone that gets jealous of others? That looks around to see if you are better in your own eyes than yours around you? Have you  ever been corrected but been more offended than consider if it’s true or not? 

If so, what do you think God would be saying to you right now?

You could even be doing things for God, worshipping, sacrificing, living a ‘christian’ life, but if you’re doing it all to gain recognition from God or man, then you are in danger just like Cain was. Your heart will become prideful, if it isn’t already, and you need to watch out for the sin that is crouching ready to take you out. 

Listen to God’s advice; ‘If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.’

Watch out for yourself, if you catch yourself comparing yourself to others or being jealous of the gifts of others or their commendation, then take a step back and refocus. It’s an opportunity to consider - are you doing well? Is God getting your best? 

Cain’s gift could not match Abel’s gift in one way, because they had different workloads and responsibility, yet Cain could still of brought the best of what he had rather than be in competition with those around him. Cain could have accepted the rebuke and restored the relationship between himself and his brother and between him and God, yet he allowed his disappointment in himself to turn into self-pity and hatred. 

Be warned! Be aware of your own heart and mind before God and others. The temptation will be there, but are you willing to admit it and ask forgiveness? Are you willing to restore your relationships and heal your heart? Will you watch out over your own heart and reactions? 

If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door.

Dust v Image of God

In Genesis Chapters 1 and 2, we find the following descriptions of mankind:

‘the image of God’

‘of dust from the ground’

These are two opposing concepts, one of great value, worth, significance and power -  being an image bearer of the Lord God. The other of lowliness, dirt and insignificance - made out of mud. 

Why were human beings created with such a conflict inherent in their being? 

I think that as humans we can err on two accounts, some of us readily associate with the saying, ‘I am but a worm’, indicating that we consider ourselves dirt - we can identify ourselves as of little worth and value and therefore understand the fact that we are in fact just dirt that walks around. To you, God would remind you you also bear His image. He formed you, He put HIs breath in you, AND He made you like Himself, so you have the opportunity to demonstrate who God is just by being yourself in this world. 

Others err in the fact that they are overly confident in the fact that they are like mini-gods roaming around. Full of the confidence that they are image-bearers of God, which can lead to pride, over confidence and self-importance, even then thinking that the world is about them and how it effects them. To these, God would say, you are, 'of dust from the ground'  Have you forgotten who formed you and what from? Do you even know how many breaths you have left or how many hairs on your own head? but God gives you every one? 

Remember what you are and where you came from.

You are who you are because of Almighty God’s creative power, not anything to do with your own perception of yourself, or others’ opinions or actions. God doesn’t  want you to get prideful or downhearted about who you are, if you struggle with one or the other of these mindsets, then consider the other perspective and honour God for it.

This inherent conflict is striving to strike a balance, and should remind us again who God is. This internal mindset should ultimately lead us to worship God - How else can we respond when we realise that we are endowed with kingly demeanour, yet we are created from the base of the earth? 

Only God can bring breath and life to dirt! Only God can bring value and strength from the muddy mess that we can find ourselves in. Only God knows and can reveal our purpose. 

Enjoy and appreciate the tension that you are the image of God, yet you are also dirt. It will give you the right balance of acknowledgement of your place and stature in this Earthly kingdom, and in the kingdom to come.