HAVING A CONTRITE SPIRIT

In Luke 1, we see that Mary was just a poor teenage girl. She was a regular girl and her husband Joseph was just a regular guy. Yet, what came forth from this little girl defeats all the hosts of hell, all the armies of the world, and all the riches, pride and rebellion that has ever existed in the world. Have you considered why God used plain Mary as a vessel to bring forth His redeeming work in the world?

When the angel Gabriel visited her, there was certainly a possibility for pride to arise in her. Every revelation or visitation from God could actually become a ground for pride in our lives. However, God knew she would not go that way, because she was lowly in spirit. "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed" (Luke 1:48). She was not bragging, but merely stating a fact.

Mary's response to Gabriel was one of obedience, "'Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.' And the angel departed from her" (Luke 1:38). She is an excellent example of a disciple—an ordinary person who is lowly at heart.

Obedience is humility. Mary just obeyed. She didn't rebel. Neither was she full of pride about her calling from God. She just acted upon the Word and the Word was born into her. When you receive the Word and act upon it, the Word will be born into you. Only obedient people are able to receive God's biggest blessings. Only humble people are obedient. Therefore, only the humble are able to access the greatest blessings from God.

KNOW WHO YOU ARE

Jesus is an example of meekness. He never retaliated in the flesh, but neither was He evasive. In His meekness and mildness, He was very strong. The devil kept calling Him to prove Himself, but Jesus just told him to get away! He didn't have to prove who He was. He knew very clearly His standing with Father God. Similarly, if you are a child of God, you don't have to prove it. You should know who you are in Christ.

So, humility revolves around knowing who we are in Christ Jesus. With Jesus, we realize two truths about ourselves: We are nothing. We are everything. We cannot do a thing without Him; with Him, we can do all things.

Humility is a mild, loving strength that comes from your character. It flows out of you because you know the Lord. It is a security and an assurance in your life that God is with you. It is the knowing that you are a child of God and you belong to the body of Jesus Christ, who will never forsake you or throw you out.

When self-exaltation puts people on their self-conceived thrones, God will not only put them down, but He will scatter them, resist them and send them away empty-handed. But for the lowly and poor in the Spirit, He will receive them with open arms and cause them to receive more and more. And in His presence, there is an abundance of freshness, joy, forgiveness and power. HT


REV. DR. ULF EKMAN is the Director of the Board for Word of Life Ministries. Together with his wife Birgitta, he travels extensively around the world establishing centers for leadership training.