Worm, Part VIII

Life is so frail. In an instant, cancer can rock your world to the core. The death of a loved one can send you spiraling into depths of despair. Crime and violence can put an end to hopes and dreams. A simple virus can forever change your life for the worst. Your life can end without notice as a result of your own actions or even the actions of another. Our life can change from good to bad so quickly. We are all in the same boat and as much as we would like to think all things are in our control and that we are resilient, it is obvious that we clearly are not. We think we are strong, intelligent, civilized, but in reality we all share the same weaknesses. It is important for us to understand our weakness and the frailty of life because if we don't we will never see the strength and goodness of God.

 

For everything that we have that is good is as a result of God's mercy and love and everything that is wrong with this world is us. It is our own social structure (built on top of God's creation) that causes us the most problems. Think about this.... where do our problems come from? Bills, credit problems, people in our life (conflict), meeting goals, achieving status, the job, deadlines, commitments, stress, even our own possessions enslave and bring us into bondage. Of course, the problems mentioned at the start of this post can also ruin you which are totally out of our control.

It is a wonder we even exist from second to second and that wonder IS God Almighty. Strength is a joke. Your degrees mean nothing. There are millions of people that are smarter than you but are clue less about humility, which is the beginning of wisdom. You are going to die like everyone else. Sound depressing? You must realize (not dwell on and live in fear every moment of your life) but only realize how weak you truly are so you can see that God is good and provides you with all that is good in your life. He shines his goodness on the evil and the good so that he can shame us all into repentance. His power and wisdom are found in what men think is foolishness.

^{1 Corinthians 1:20-25}

²⁰Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. ²²Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

Worm, Part VII

Humility is the key. Yet, it is not solely about putting one's own self in it's proper place but also showing God His place in our lives. God is creator of life and that is a powerful statement as it includes not only the life of the body but everything within nature that supports such life. Basically, all the natural elements of the world both seen and unseen were created by God. Though God is creator, He is also a sustainer of life as He provides for us out of His great love.

God not only maintains life as we know it but also protects our life. Lastly, God has saved us even despite our own selves through Jesus Christ our Lord. He is Creator, sustainer, maintainer, protector, and saviour.

Sounds like a pretty important guy wouldn't you say? It is with this thought process that we come to the conclusion that God is important and that we were created by Him and for Him. It makes absolute perfect sense that God would want to be revered and thought of in this way. I am positive that God takes great delight in His children showing Him just how important He really is to them. To know our place... (He is God and I am not). To treat God as if He is the most important person in your life and the one thing that you can not live without may take some serious thought on your part concerning humility. He is King, Lord, Saviour, Friend, Protector, Creator, Provider, and God. We should always encourage ourselves daily to put Him up on the pedestal and exalt and glorify Him instead of ourselves or anything else around us.

^{Psalm 35:26-28}

²⁶ May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.

²⁷ May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, "The LORD be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant."

²⁸ My tongue will speak of your righteousness
and of your praises all day long.

Worm, Part VI

One of the first steps as a new believer is to realize that each of us were not created for ourselves but instead we were created for God and by God. Submission is a key to a walk with Christ and the God of the universe. The free choice is ours, influenced by the Holy Spirit to walk after Him. Our life is no longer about our cause but now it is about His cause, His honor, His glory, and making Him a true Lord over our lives.

It is probably the hardest lesson of all to learn. How to lay down ones own life to serve God and worship Him daily even at the expense of our own desires. This life and world drives us to self-glorification. It keeps us trapped and burdened down with obligations. It never lets up... and this is the battle we fight. The world's way through Satan (who still has power over the culture and structure of this world) constantly drags us down. It saturates us with fear, doubt, commercialism, and self-indulgence. It keeps us blind.

It is not a battle only against such powers but also against the body itself. The body (flesh) is accustomed to getting it's way and it hates honoring God. It is the primal survival mechanism that drives us, although we rarely recognize it's influence in our daily lives. To love God is to live for something better and above our meager ambitions. To walk in humility and fear, making Him King and Lord over our life. Putting Him first no matter what the world tells us. Setting our eyes on a greater hope and a better promise in the world to come.

^{1 Peter 2:25}

²⁵For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Worm, Part V

One thing is certain about Jesus Christ... He was humble. In a perfect picture of humility, He died for us and provided us with the gift of eternal life.

Many of the Psalms are the actual words of David (led by the Holy Spirit) but are also the words of Christ. In the Psalms we see the humility of Christ mentioned many times. He even calls himself a worm. Psalms is not the only book to contain the words of Christ or mirrors of His words but Job is also a book that has an incredible link (underestimated by most Pastors and Theology majors) to prophetic themes and mirrors of Jesus Christ. When I say the word mirror, what I mean is that the verse does have meaning as it is being spoken at the time but it is two-dimensional in that it also represents Christ in some way or another.

Jesus was the word made flesh. It makes perfect sense that He is mentioned (and His story told) throughout the Bible. Jesus was the Son of God with the power to take control of this world and bring all the kingdoms of the world under submission. He had the power to destroy anyone who opposed Him and dominate this world as the King He was. However, He made the most severe leap of humility by becoming obedient to death and becoming a servant to all mankind. We are nothing but think we are something. Jesus really was something and had to become nothing for us.

^{Job 25:2-6}

² "Dominion and awe belong to God;
he establishes order in the heights of heaven.

³ Can his forces be numbered?
Upon whom does his light not rise?

⁴ How then can a man be righteous before God?
How can one born of woman be pure?

⁵ If even the moon is not bright
and the stars are not pure in his eyes,

⁶ how much less man, who is but a maggot—
a son of man, who is only a worm!"

Worm, Part IV

One thing that is true about maturity is that it is defined by the fruits of the Spirit. Humility is the starting point for wisdom and being humble is a sure sign that you have arrived at that level of maturity. Opposite of what the world deems as maturity for the world teaches us that we have to be strong, opinionated, fearless, educated, well-read, and determined. However, God's power works through weakness, sacrifice, humility, and love.

Arrogance is easily identifiable and the more humble you become the more arrogance sickens your heart. People think they know so much when we all know so little. I would rather be a simple Christian who loves God than a man who is so educated in his theology that he can not express love. Arrogance blinds and is the sole reason why man has taken Christianity and divided it up into convenient little packages. We tend to label and throw people into pots and pass judgment on them. Am I Baptist? Am I Pentecostal? Am I Lutheran? Am I Catholic? Am I right? Am I wrong? Last time I looked... I was a Christian.For even this blog is nothing and all these words are nothing, except a simple statement of belief in the one true God and His Son, Jesus Christ and the freedom and forgiveness He provides freely.

James 4:6-12

6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."

7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?