Pride Cometh Before The Fall... So does Summer

Over the past 88 days that I have been in Africa, I have come to the realization [it did not take all 88 by any means] that Africa is one humbling place. People have a phrase here, AWA (Africa Wins Again). It is true. Whether it is a power outage at the MOST inconvenient time or traffic being backed up for hours for no reason. Random downpours of torrential rain, people hassling me, or me just being an idiot, etc. These things have to make me laugh. Just when I think a little too highly of myself, something untimely happens that reminds me that I am not such a big deal after all. Africa is definitely ahead with an insurmountable lead. It isn't even a fair fight. Not to make this place seem miserable, it is not by any means. But, I would be lying if I told anyone that Africa never gets the best of me. Little things just happen. 

The last week or so in particular, I have been really homesick, and desiring all things familiar. In retrospect, I am sure what I displayed was more pride and stubbornness about all these little inconveniences than anything. And pride, my friend, is a terrible thing. 

The way I see it, people have two ways to respond to situations; Be it pleasant ones, or unpleasant ones. The first way, is to view the situation (again good or bad) as it applies to oneself. Either this thing was really good for me, or this thing was really bad for me. The former grows pride in a much more obvious, blatant way. The latter takes a different form of pride. The kind that is manifest in self pity and wanting to drag everyone else down out of jealousy. Both are prideful.

The second, the less natural way, is to view the situation in a proper perspective. This world is not about me. To try and realize that because the universe caters not to me, but to a holy God. Pride is hard to escape, God makes it clear in the Bible that He will not stand for pride. I recently read through Daniel. The entire first half sets up a beautiful picture of the Lord, dealing rightly with pride.

So right off the bat, God allows King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, to conquer Judah. Increasing his land and power. Long story, good details, Daniel and friends wanting vegan diets, a few name changes, Belteshazzar interprets dreams, God praised, idols built, fiery furnace, God praised, so on and so forth. After a myriad of events (which are really a good read- I don't mean to make light of them at all), King Nebuchadnezzar makes this statement stop his palace roof.                                        "Is this not great Babylon which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?"

I love God's response. The timing, the word choice, everything. Before the king even finishes his statement, a voice from Heaven says, "O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom shall depart from you, you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you will be made to eat grass like an ox." The Bible says IMMEDIATELY the word was fulfilled against him. Because of his pride- when clearly God put him in his place of power with a win over Judah, God cast him out from among men for Seven years (well...periods of time). He eats grass like an ox, he is made to be wet with the dew from heaven, his hair will grow lie the eagles feathers, and his nails like bird's claws. Pride sucks. Just ask Nebuchadnezzar.

BUT, we serve a gracious God. His gives gifts, not pay. He gives grace, not wages. The Bible says after the days had passed, Nebuchadnezzar says, "I lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me..." God is so gracious. All His works are right and all His ways are just; those who walk in pride He is able to humble. Even if God had not ever restored Nebuchadnezzar, He would have been right in doing so. ALL His works are right. 

I need to evaluate myself so often. I don't think I could do it enough, because God is so serious about pride. Pride puts us in a higher place than we could ever hope to deserve. It elevates self, and parades it in front of men, rather than letting God be magnified before men. I am ashamed when I think of all the prideful moments I have DAILY. It seems like I am either committing a selfish act, about to commit a selfish act, or reflecting and repenting for a selfish act. The flesh loves itself, and wants everyone and everything else to love it. But that is a fight that we cannot afford to shirk. Pride is sin in its most clear definition- us rebelling from what should be a child like dependence on God. Thinking that we can do anything apart from Him, and that it is better that way. Not so. Therefore, I must decrease and Christ must increase.  I have a lot to work on. Good thing Africa is helping to keep me humble. 

Peace,

Joel

Love and Stuff

As of late, I have been learning a lot about grace and mercy and stuff. I am not gonna rehash that because it is all in the previous blog, but in thinking about all this grace and mercy and stuff (on a 17 hour bus ride to Nairobi), God showed me some awesome things. So here was my train of thought. We are saved by grace- what is grace? Why do we get it? Of what importance am I and God would show me and offer this gift to me? What is mercy? How does all of this come about? 

-keep that in mind as I digress. I have also been reading Romans. And around Chapters 12 and 13 it begins to talk a lot about Love. And how that is the mark of a Christian. Our love.

- back to the questions about grace. The answers are very simple. Everything that God has done for us is a direct result of His love for us. Thats all. There is no more to figure out. All philosophies and crap have to stop there. Because His love is the only way to explain it. Yay. Good for Joel. Nothing mind blowing right? But in seeing how He loves us, it made me to wonder as to the way in which we are called to love. As believers, we are to do ALL things as a act of love for those around us. 

Here is the part of Romans 13 that I found very exciting. Romans 13:11-12. Paul gives from Chapter 12 through 13:10, reasons to love. Then in verse 11, He says, "besides this, you know the time, that the hour has come to awake from sleep..... 12-so put on the armor of light..."

When I read "besides this" it was as if I could hear Paul talking in conversation. Like he was saying, all these reasons to love are good, but THIS ONE, is obvious. YOU MUST SEE IT. "You know the time"- what time is it?

Well, He tells us. IT IS DAY TIME! WAKE UP! Go put on some armor. The day is at hand. When Jesus came, He DEFEATED the world (time) of darkness, and sin, but He did not END it. He began the world (time) of light. Salvation through Him. But it has not fully come yet. Not until He comes back. So Paul says, it is daytime. Not night anymore. That means, although we still live in a world riddled with sin and death, we ALSO live in a kingdom of light. And Hope. 

So what time is it? It is the time of Christ. Sin and Death are defeated. So even though Jesus' world has not fully come yet, it is still here. And we hope in that day that He IS coming back. 

So often we get bogged down in the world of Sin and guilt and death, and we forget "TETELESTAI"- It is finished. Christ defeated that world. We, as believers, don't live by the rules of that age. It is done away with. For the time being, we coexist with it, but we are Children of Light, as the Bible clearly puts it. So what does this have to do with love? 

Remember Paul, "besides this"- He is giving another reason to love. The age we live in in a different one than that of non-believers. Thus, we have the upper hand in the ability to love. If life's end was death, and the sin we live in, than YES. Sin. Sin all you want. If this life is it, why not have as much fun and get as much self fulfillment out of it as you can. BUT thats not true. We know that age is defeated. It is still here, and very present, but we are living in triumph over it. We, through Christ, have overcome. And the hope of a new age should compel us to love. To love everyone as Christ exampled. In all humility. 

So I need to daily, take off my pajamas. And wake up. The day is here. Not night... maybe I won't even sleep in pajamas anymore. Cut out the middle man in the mornings.

Peace,

JOel