Three Voices (2)
The first voice called us to "make straight paths before the Lord, but it also indicated that we would not be able to do it on our own.The second voice reminds us to be humble...
Hubris (Self-importance, arrogance, and pride) is one of the most dangerous qualities for a society to afflict itself with. It happened at the tower of Babel. In Jeremiah's time the Israelites believed that Jerusalem was unassailable because the temple was there. Rome believed that they were indestructible. Recently analysts have suggested that the 2009 economic meltdown is attributable to societal hubris.
Hubris is to think of ourselves too highly - to consider ourselves so very very important, to believe that we will live forever and to behave as though our needs are paramount.
Isaiah's second voice warns us against this.
We are grass and flowers.
Grass withers and flowers fall.
God ordains our coming and our going.
Humility is needed.
It's like Job who, although innocent, becomes so sure that he can "have his day in court with God" that the Lord spends four chapters revealing His glory to Job and asking him - "So where were you when I did this?!?" And Job responds by basically saying "I got too big for my boots - I shot off my mouth and I'm going to shut it now."
John Ortberg said: "There's good news and bad news: The good news is that there's a God. The bad news is that it isn't you!"
I differ slightly: I don't think it's bad news that I'm not God. It's actually a relief to realise that it isn't all about me..."There's good news and good news: There is a God and it isn't me!"
It's God's Word and God's work that stands forever...
| A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah40:6-8) |
