Daily Devotion, August 4, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read 1 Peter 5:1-6.

I give God thanks for faithful disciples of Christ who have walked in Christ’s footsteps of humility and service unto others. A particular couple comes to mind. Whether they were asked to prepare meals and wash dishes for the homeless ministry, take firewood to families without heat, lead the church council, teach Sunday school, or gently help a horse be returned to its owners, they did so with humility and a heart for service in Christ’s name.

Peter’s words call all to practice Christ’s ways of humility. To both the old and the young, Peter gives this guidance: “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…” Sometimes we compare and contrast humility with pride. But the commentaries compare humility in this scripture to the word, “exaltation”. The phrase, “clothe yourselves with humility” asks us to clothe ourselves with the clothes of a servant rather than the clothes of royalty.

This scripture also gives us our “why” for being humble, “because God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”  Jesus practiced the ways of humbleness in all his ways and particularly as he washed his disciples’ feet. Afterwards, he gave them the commandment to go and do likewise. 

This way of humility helps us keep the perspective that God is God and we are not. Psalm 100 says, “We are the sheep of his pasture. It is he that has made us and not we ourselves.” A humble spirit leads us to give respect, honor, praise and worship unto God.

These words are intended to be encouragement to the early Christians in the midst of their suffering and persecution, to stay the course and “be humble.” The gifts of exaltation and peace are in God’s hands and in God’s care. I Peter 5:7 gives the assurance to the earliest Christians and to us today, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Personal Worship Option:

Yes, God cares for you. The first stanza of Isaac Watts' hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” moves us from false pride to honest humility. “When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.