Urban Reformation

I have continued to read the book “Humility: True Greatness” by CJ Mahaney and needless to say it’s been quite humbling reading a book on humility (Imagine that see humble pie to your left).

C.J. points out first in many practical ways to, “daily, diligently, and deliberately weaken our greatest enemy (pride) and cultivate our greatest friend (humility).”

There are so many good points I will fail to bring them all up but one of them is to always be aware of God’s grace, striving to be as close to the cross as possible. He quoted one scholar, by asking, “how could anyone be arrogant standing next to the cross?” He goes on to suggest that we seek to constantly be aware of these good graces and not find fault in others but find God’s grace and mercy in others.

These, although are great points, are small highlights compared to the later chapters when I began getting into the chapter suggesting that we study the attributes of God. Those attributes that show God in someway to be absolutely unlike man. He gave the examples of infinite and finite, and Omnipresence(present all places), as opposed to man’s single ability to be present in only one place.

This lead me to put the book down for a moment, and for me to ponder these things where God is different than I am. One of the greatest areas where God demonstrates to me our absolute differences, those of God and myself, are demonstrated in His faithfulness. I know every bit of my faith comes from Him but there are so many times I am faithless before Him.

I haven’t yet read to see if this enters the book at any place, but God used this as a springboard for me to look at Psalms 89.

I Will Sing of the Steadfast Love of the LORD A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”

This awareness of His faithfulness and my faithlessness can do two things, it can throw me into a pit of despair and self condemnation or what I believe is a healthy response for God’s faithfulness is this, to love Him all the more, in gratitude and thankfulness for His faithfulness, and the faith he has granted me.

I had this amazingly demonstrated last evening, I received two phone calls from two different men, one’s name is John and the other Cecil. Both of these men I met while teaching down at H3 (InnerCity Men’s Recovery Home.) Both of these men I had prayed for, and hoped in Christ that they would find there way to our church affiliated Men’s home called The Anchor House.

I hadn’t heard from either of them in months and they both called me at unrelated times, not knowing about each other, one making his way back to Kansas City from Oklahoma, to get into the Anchor House. I don’t know where they are at spiritually, and I continue to hope for their salvation. But I was in utter amazement at the hand of my father in heaven, as He had two men I had once prayed for call me to get into The Anchor House. I had not prayed for them recently, because of my “faithlessness” but this demonstrated to me this complete differentness between myself and God. It was so amazing to me how God remained faithful even in my request, and when my hope and faith in this had weakened he remained faithful despite my lack of continuing to hold them up.

This demonstrates my frailty and weakness of my flesh, my lack of devotion, and was in a moment of time overwhelming to consider my father in heaven hearing my prayer, long ago and answering in His time, even to the point of bringing both telephone calls on the same day as to humiliate me before Him and demonstrate to me His faithfulness.

I thank my God in heaven for His faithfulness, for being faithful in sending His son Jesus, and for cloaking me in His righteousness that I could never obtain on my own. I thank Him for His example, and His mercy, and yes His answer to often seemingly faithless prayers.  I will pray with renewed motivation, for the salvation of these men.

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