Lenten Word 6: Humility

The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 7:14: if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Humility is a key part of our Lenten Journey. It is to call oneself to the realization that our spirit, before God, should be a humble one. Humility is setting our attitude and altitude to the right level. For some, humility is not in their vocabulary nor in their heart. Humility is seeing the big picture and realizing just how little we truly are. We live near turbine ranches and we joke that it gets so hot around here we had to build big fans to cool off. And from a distance they look small; the first turbines I ever saw were outside of Los Angeles, California in the 80s and always wondered how big they really were. It wasn't too long ago we saw the blade of one as the trailer of an 18-wheeler. Just one blade was that long. Those turbines are huge. And so is the picture in which we have been painted. We are an important part of that picture, but the picture isn't always just about us; it's about God. This Lenten journey helps us to realize the words of the Chronicles writer are true: We have been called by God and we should acknowledge God's greatness and our need for God. We are called to pray as part of that humility we possess, prayers of worship and praise to God as well as petitions for strength in whatever we or our loved ones face. We should seek the presence of God in all things, repent of our desires and "wicked ways," and know that God will hear us and forgive us and bring healing to us and to our loved ones as well. Psalm 25:9 says "He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way." Seek the Lord with all humility and God will lead us just where we need to be. PRAYER: Lord, the songs says that "it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way," but You and I know that's far from the truth. In our weakness speak to us and show us Your way, amen.