God Exalts the HumbleSpeaker: Sis. Stella Dhinakaran Gist: When you humble yourself before the Lord and wait patiently at His feet and pray fervently, He will lift you up and place you in a high place above others. He will bring you honour, fame and praise. We have considered the life of Esther quite often. The Lord blessed the poor and humble maid abundantly. The Lord will surely enable us also to live like her. But will you believe and trust God to do great things through you? Are you blaming yourselves for being poor and uneducated, orphaned and ignored by society and therefore unlikely to be favoured by God? Do not be sad and downcast.
"Who has despised the day of small things?" (Zechariah 4:10)
"And the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence." (1 Corinthians 1:28)
The Bible again says, "A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation. I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time" (Isaiah 60:22). High or low makes no difference before God Almighty. He is mighty to exalt a person or to bring down a person to a lowly state. Because Esther feared the Lord, obeyed His commandments and sought Him persistently in her prayers, the Lord exalted her.
Once, there lived a girl named Christina whose both legs were impaired. Her brothers and sisters were quite healthy, and all of them and even their parents slighted poor Christina. Once, they all went out of station leaving her alone at home. Poor girl! She wept and languished in loneliness. Just then she heard a knock at the door. When she opened the door, she saw a servant of God standing. She invited him inside and entertained him. She shared with him all her sorrow and anguish. Impressed by the affection shown to him, the servant of God read out some encouraging verses from the Bible, "The Lord is in your midst. He will make you the head and not the tail. Be glad and rejoice." He prayed for her fervently and went his own way. She was greatly comforted and was cheered by his visit. Thereafter she began to read the Holy Scripture intently and began to talk to God through her daily fervent prayers. The Lord soon became her trusted friend. Her heart overflowed with a new born joy. The words of scorn spoken by others did not fall in her ears. Her relatives then began to scoff at her on seeing a great change in her. But the servant of God, who visited her occasionally encouraged her saying, "Look up to Lord Jesus alone. He will exalt you. He will neither leave you nor forsake you." Accordingly, she clung close to the Lord Jesus and rejoiced greatly over His fellowship. The Lord filled her with the power of His Holy Spirit. He gave her His gifts of healing and blessed her abundantly. People began to seek her prayers. The poor and desolate people living in pain and distress received the Lord's healing touch through her prayers and went home thanking her profusely. Only then, her relatives came to their senses. They said, "See how this girl with maimed legs is ministering so much for Jesus. Many people go from here praising her. We who are hale and healthy are leading such wasteful lives. Let us follow her as an example and lead a god-fearing life for Jesus." One by one, they all surrendered their lives to Christ. God turned the entire family towards Him through Christina. She became a servant of God ministering to her family, the church and the community. No one ever bothered about her bodily infirmity. They only exalted Jesus who was seen in her. The Lord gave her fame and praise, but she always humbled herself before Lord Jesus, whose name alone she praised and glorified always.
Dear friend, are you afraid to serve the Lord thinking what other people will think about you? Are you indifferent in honouring and praising Him? Humble yourself before the Lord God Almighty right now. The Lord who exalted Esther, He who enriched the life of Christina, will crown you also with happiness and honour.
Dear friend, stop looking only the evil things in your daily life. Set your eyes on Jesus, who is mighty to change any evil that comes in your way. You will see no more evil in your life. Do not run after seeking people's counsel, but cling close to our gracious Lord. Call Him earnestly to your aid. He will come in your midst. As the Bible says, "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands" (Psalm 138:8). He will not mind your failings and through you He will do great things, bringing you fame and praise (Proverbs 31:31). He will turn your tears into great joy. The Lord will make you jubilant. In Him, you will be glad and rejoice all the days of your life.
Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,
During the time of crisis, help me to heed to Your divine voice and Your divine counsel and do everything according to Your will. Help me to be humble before You always. Teach me to wait at Your precious feet and pray fervently. Turn my tears into joy. I give you all the glory. In Jesus mighty name, I pray.
Amen. |