In Isaiah 26:8, what do the people desire or value? “God’s name and renown”
Place an X on the scale to indicate how you would estimate the visibility of God in your life. “(about 8 out of 10 on a scale from practically invisible to conspicuous)”
How does Isaiah 4:8 say God responds to this mentality (of wanting to share in His glory)?
“He refuses to share His glory with another, or with an idol.”
What do you think would be the biggest obstacle to glorifying God? “pride”
According to Jeremiah 13:16, why would the arrogant be wise to quickly seek the remedy of giving glory to God?
“The light will/would be gone soon – He is/was bringing a deep darkness.”
What did God say would ultimately happen if his people, due to pride, did not listen to Him (Jeremiah 13:17)?
“He would weep over them being taken captive.”
Can you think of several reasons why we would have to cast down pride to break free of any area of captivity?
“Pride is how we convince ourselves: we deserve an indulgence, we can handle an addiction, we can be what others aren’t able to [be].”
What motivation does each of the following scriptures provide for viewing pride as an enemy?
Proverbs 8:13 – “Pride is an evil to hate.”
Proverbs 11:2 – “Pride brings disgrace. (humility, wisdom)”
Proverbs 13:10 – “Pride breeds quarrels. (as opposed to taking advice)”
Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction.”
Obadiah 1:3 – “Pride deceives you.”
Often in our society, it reviles biblical humility as a sign of weakness… Humility takes a supply of supernatural strength that comes only to those who are strong enough to admit weakness.
What motivation does each of the following scriptures provide for viewing humility as a friend?
James 4:6,10 – “God gives grace to and lifts up the humble.”
Isaiah 57:14,15 – “God lives with the contrite and lowly in spirit.”
Isaiah 66:2 – “God esteems the humble (and contrite and those who tremble at His Word)”
Humility can be rather easily attained, by simply opening our eyes to reality.
The last sentence of Daniel 4:37 provides one of the most effective motivations for humility in [the author’s] personal life. What does it say?
“‘And those who walk in pride He is able to humble.’”
Dearest Rachel –
There are times when I read through your notes on one of these studies as if reading through a diary, complete with confessions to failings that I might have never noticed, or that time and nostalgia have caused me to gloss over. I appreciate them, as it precludes me from mentally canonizing you for a perfect saint. Saints we are, to be sure, and will be, but none of us were or are perfect on this side of the veil, and even you wouldn’t appreciate being put so high up on a pedestal that you might fear falling.
Besides, had I done so, and you believed the hype, the fact that “He is able to humble” the proud is reason enough not to. Better to humble oneself than to humiliated by God Himself.
But pride wasn’t generally one of your failings, save perhaps an occasional streak of selfishness (your reference to “deserv[ing] an indulgence” being the lone personal note I can see in this particular set of notes), which may have been part of your upbringing as an only child; your parents set rules that you adhered to most of the time, but you did occasionally get your way in ways I could dream of. Of course, we are all subject to that level of internal focus; it’s a myopic perspective, but it’s the only one we have. It’s hard to see things through God’s eyes when ours are fastened to our own small and fragile frames.
That human frailty – and our keen awareness of it – often causes us, as a race, to try to overcompensate. We feel the need to pretend we’re strong (and denigrate what we perceive as an appearance of weakness), in the hope of convincing others – and ourselves – that we are, despite knowing full well otherwise. Every great and powerful individual returns to nothingness, just as they were as they were born; there is no sense to pretending there is any greatness in and of ourselves.
This much, you knew. You never sought the spotlight; indeed, when I considered a path that might lead there, you were supportive, but wanted no real part in it. How strange it is, then, that my public life online is devoted to writing to and extolling you and who you were; what you said, did and believed.
So, before I lay my praise on too thickly (I can hear you wryly interject “too late”), thank you for these notes. There is always something to praise you for, there is always something to remind me you that you weren’t perfect, and – most importantly – there is always a reminder that you knew Who you belonged to, and that when I get to join Him in the place He prepared, I will see you again.
Until then, honey, keep an eye on me, and wish me luck. I’m going to need it.
Letters to Rachel 