March 22 Day 15
1 Peter 5:6-7
“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.”
REFLECTION
Notice the order of activity in these verses! If God lifted us up and we fully experienced the mercy, peace, and hope of the Lord’s care, we would be humble, wouldn’t we? The struggle lies in our need to be humble first – which our broken nature opposes. In our pride and selfishness, we do not heed the call of our Shepherd, do not answer the door where Jesus is knocking, and do not turn aside from the broad road leading to destruction.
For many, if not most, we require a life-changing breakdown in our hearts; an experience of metanoia that opens our eyes to our need for a Savior. Anything less tends to leave us feeling worthy to negotiate with God…rather than fall limply into God’s arms in surrender. The ultimate “trust-fall” if you like.
The season of Lent reminds us that our self-love and false faith in our self-sufficiency block us from real humility and honest faith. Let us repent and turn back to God, committing every anxiety of this world into his powerful hands so that we may finally know peace.
PRAYER: We are a proud people, Lord. Our faith is in our own strength and our power to deal with our every stress and anxiety…until we are overwhelmed by our failure and discontent. Call us into your flock, Good Shepherd, that we may drop everything at your feet and raise our empty hands to you in praise! Lift us up into new life and living hope, for your Son’s sake. AMEN
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