March 25, 2010

Today's reading: I Samuel 11, 12, 13; Psalm 25, 55, 85, 115, 145; Proverbs 25

I Samuel 13:8-9, "And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering."

I cannot help but think that Saul has gone from hiding among the stuff to thinking he is the stuff. I think I might have said this the other day. I guess I repeat myself so that I might learn from the mistake of Saul. We need to remember that apart from God we are nothing. We are nothing but dust. It was God who breathed the breath of life into a bunch of dirt and a living soul came about. That is pretty humbling to think of yourself as dirt.

Pride is a terrible thing. It is like the young Preacher who preached his first sermon. As he ascended the platform and took his place behind the pulpit he began to speak as eloquently as he could. After the service he knew that his message had been horrible and that the people had given him little to no attention during it. He walked down from the pulpit with his head hung low. The older Pastor of the Church took him by the arm and led him to his office and began to help him. The older Pastor said, "Son, if you had gone up as you came down, you could have came down as you went up."

I know in my own life when I thought that something could not happen to me it would soon happen to me. Pride is a horrible thing. If we spend time in prayer and study of the Scriptures, I think we will be less likely to have problem with pride. We need to pray for ourselves and others. Look at I Samuel 12:23, "Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:". Prayer is important and it is very important in battling with pride.

How is your pride? Sure about that?