The Power of Humility Dear Friend, Don’t be surprised if life is messy. After all, didn’t Jesus say in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble... But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Right now, in those areas of your life where it seems everything is crumbling into the valley of hopelessness, we must humble ourselves and let the directions of 1 Peter 5:6,7 take place in our life. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” Knowing that God sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins should cause us to ask what does God require of me now? Micah 6:8 (NIV) answers this question by saying, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” God makes His wishes clear. He wants us to be fair, merciful to those who have wronged us, and live humbly with Him daily. His mercy and justice have redeemed us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now we need to show the same mercy and justice to others as we walk humbly following the Lord God as He continues to set the world right. “
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14 NIV) The tax collector was the first to give us the Jesus Power used by the Eastern Orthodox Church and many others throughout the world. It is, “Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me” Many add, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” It is a prayer further inspired by Paul’s command in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV) to pray constantly. The purpose of this prayer is for us to humble ourselves and turn our attention constantly to the presence of Christ. 1 Peter 5:5 (NIV) tells us that if we are going to have the power of God flow through us, so that we can do justly and love mercy, we must be clothed with humility. This is important because “God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.”
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