Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | January 15, 2013

Godly humility does not shrink back.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Peter 5:5-7.
 
“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders;  and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
                                         

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”  1 Peter 5:5-7.

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Today’s devotion will not address the specific relationship of younger men to their elders.  Today’s devotion will more generally address humility.    

Godly humility is not just being shy and withdrawn, looking inward and clamming up.  Godly humility is not just a lack of trust of self. 

Godly humility does not shrink back. 

“But My righteous one shall live by faith;  And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”  Hebrews 10:38

“But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”  Hebrews 10:39
 
“Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.”  1 John 2:28
                                     

Although we do not trust our self, and have no confidence in the flesh, we do trust God.  We do look outward and upward to God.  We do not clam up.  Instead, we boldly approach the throne of God and ask for grace.  In the language of today’s Scripture, we cast all our anxiety on Him, knowing He cares for us.  We trust our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ “in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.”  Ephesians 3:12  

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:16
                                         

“Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.  Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit;  for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.  …

Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.  But their minds were hardened;  for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.  But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;  but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”  2 Corinthians 3:2-6 and 12-17.

In conclusion, Godly humility does not shrink back.  Godly humility casts all anxiety on Him, knowing He cares for us.  Godly humility comes to God, believing that He will reward.  “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6

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