Skip to main content

Connect the Testaments







July 16: Jack-in-the-Box Pride
1 Samuel 28:1–29:11; 1 Peter 2:13–17; Psalm 130:1–131:3

Becoming too confident in the maturity of our faith is dangerous. Our pride is like the spring of a jack-in-the-box: Just when we think it’s broken or that we’ve gotten the lid on tight, it springs back to life. It rears its ugly head, bobbing around like a circus fool.
It’s so easy to get caught up in our achievements—even when it comes to faith. We can grow in knowledge and then look down on others who still need to grow. The psalmist of Psa 131 presents the solution with a confident, succinct declaration. He fully yields to God’s order. He doesn’t wrestle with the things that don’t make sense—he can place these in God’s hand. His inner peace comes from total trust in God: “My heart is not haughty nor my eyes arrogant, And I do not concern myself with things too great and challenging for me. Rather I have soothed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother, like the weaned child is my soul with me” (Psa 131:1–2).
A maturity of faith is in childlike trust—trust that sees ourselves as small and God as mighty. Peter also speaks of peace that is a result of having faith that submits to God. Submission allows us to act wisely in a situation, all “for the sake of the Lord” (1 Pet 2:13). Doing good will silence the ignorant (1 Pet 2:15), and if we do good while enduring the mistreatment of others, God will show us His favor (1 Pet 2:20). Ultimately, it’s Christ who serves as the example of submission. Even while suffering and enduring abuse, Jesus “did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth” (1 Pet 2:22). Instead, He “entrusted himself to the one who judges justly” (1 Pet 2:23).
Jesus’ act of redemption should be the focus of all our actions. While pride is a rebellion against Him, forgiveness, and grace through Christ are enough to drive us to the end of ourselves and send us into the haven of God’s love. His sacrifice eliminates the need to be prideful and self-seeking. It quiets our souls.

How are you turning to Christ’s sacrifice in moments of pride?

REBECCA VAN NOORD


Barry, John D., and Rebecca Kruyswijk. Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012. Print.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Furnishings of the Tabernacle

Furnishings of the Tabernacle . ‎The book of Exodus details the construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings. As Yahweh’s sanctuary, the tabernacle served as God’s dwelling place among the Israelites—the expression of the covenant between Yahweh and His people ( Exod 25:8–9 ).

The Ten Plagues of Egypt

The Ten Plagues of Egypt

A Threshing Floor

A Threshing Floor In the ancient world, farmers used threshing floors to separate grain from its inedible husk (chaff) by beating it with a flail or walking animals on it—sometimes while towing a threshing sledge. Sledges were fitted with flint teeth to dehusk the grain more quickly. Other workers would turn the grain over so that it would be evenly threshed by the sledge.