Only to the Humble

God lives and works today, and what an amazing God He is! He lives in the heights of holiness where nothing that is unholy can draw near. And yet, not only does He incline His heart to sinners, He even longs to dwell with them. How can we experience this wonderful grace of God in our everyday lives? The answer is in today's program called Only to the Humble.

Spring had come. I was on the way to a small retreat house which lay on the edge of a forest about two hours away from my little land of Canaan. But when I arrived, the forest was scarcely to be recognized anymore.

A heavy storm had raged over the high tops of the evergreens, and now these stately old giants lay there on the ground. Swaying and creaking, they had been uprooted by the force of the storm, a real scene of destruction. I thought about my many spiritual daughters and how this picture of nature is an allegory for us all.

For next to the tall and mighty fallen evergreens stood other trees, thin and supple. These let themselves be bent and bowed by the wind. Therefore, they had survived the storm.

And so I've experienced with my spiritual daughters, whoever has a humble heart, whoever is small before God and man, whoever allows himself to be blown about and bent by God's storms and judgments, that person will grow wonderfully tall and become a tree that bears much, much fruit. Yet, whoever is tall and proud, whoever doesn't want to humble himself or submit to the judgments and chastenings of God, that person's life, although it seems to be in order, is destroyed and broken inside. God says in Isaiah 2, verse 12 and 17, the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up and high.

And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the pride of men shall be brought low. And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. Therefore, when others rightfully pass judgment against you, bow yourself humbly beneath your sins.

Like the tax collector who said, God, be merciful unto me, a sinner. Don't let a single opportunity slip by to break your pride whenever the Holy Spirit urges you to humble yourself before God and men. For God gives grace to the humble.

You have been listening to a program written by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan. To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website, www.canaan.org. That's K-A-N-A-A-N dot org. If you contact us, we would be happy to send you a free inspirational booklet.

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