Humble Yourself

DAY 2: Tuesday / January 30, 2024

Read Isaiah 40:31 / Isaiah 2:12-17 /  James 4:10

Isaiah 40:31 was a promise to a nation that was brought to its lowest lows. Israel, who formerly stood high above the other nations and enjoyed superiority politically, militarily, economically and spiritually would eventually be stripped of all these. God’s people would be vanquished and conquered by a foreign nation, her people exiled and hostaged in a foreign land. Everything that God’s people worshipped was destroyed, including their beloved temple. And so in this fallen, broken and seemingly hopeless situation- God would proclaim a message of hope; that they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isa 40:31

But before this promise is fulfilled, God would have to first do the unbelievable. He would have to bring His very own people low. God would do the work of humbling His people first. The promised consolation, redemption and restoration would come only after a season of defeat. Before God’s people would soar like eagles, they must first be brought low.

We can cite two reasons for the humbling of God’s people. Read Isa 2:12, 17. They were brought low to teach them humility. Secondly, God’s people were humbled in order to lead them back to God. God allows His children to be brought low and be humbled that they may be stripped of reliance upon themselves or others and to force them to start looking up to Him. As Judah trusted her neighbors like Egypt, they were humbled so that they would look unto God again.  We need to be brought low, in order that God will be exalted, so that we would look up to God again. For when you are down, there is nowhere to look but up. God humbles us because He loves us and longs for our complete devotion.

It is our desire that as God’s children, we will soar this 2024. One thing which we must do first: We need to humble ourselves. As James 4:10 declares; Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. But the flipside is this, when we do not, we will be humbled by God.

REFLECT

• How would it look like for you to humble yourself before God? 

• Spend time surrendering your life to the Lord and ask Him to come and be Lord over all.