CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE DAILY DEVOTIONAL ON YOUTUBE
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
The ways of this world are against the ways of God. The ways of this world are reflective of Satan as Satan desires us to reflect him. The wisdom, might, and nobility of this world stand in self-centered pride and arrogance. The focus is on “self.” This mindset cannot stand in reflecting God as Christ Jesus humbled Himself to the cross in obedience to God. God is able to take the weak, and through His strength, bring down the mighty things of this world. The Bible teaches us in 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NKJV), “30But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption – 31that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” [Jeremiah 9:24]
This is a promise that the glory of God is far greater than the glory of man/this world.
“He who glories, let him glory in the LORD” [Jeremiah 9:24]. This is where humility and obedience meet redemption and righteousness – true righteousness from God through faith in Christ Jesus. It is the gift to see that it is not about us but about Him – it is about bringing glory to God through our lives. “How?” you might ask. By opening our hearts and lives to seeking God’s will for our lives – to live as guided by God’s Holy Spirit working in our lives. Maybe you don’t feel God working in your life. Submit to God and seek His ways for you and you will find the new path that God has for you. There are very few who are wise, mighty, or noble and are called by God (1 Corinthians 1:26), because it is very easy to fall into the trap of Satan in wisdom, might, and nobility that leads to pride, arrogance, and self-centering one’s life around the ways of this world. But God chooses the weak and the lowly because they have learned what humility is; they have learned what it is to feel the need for help; they have been longing for a way out of the weak and lowly life; they are open to God and willing to give Him the praise and glory for lifting them up. The broken life allows us to see God working in our lives because we are not blinded by self-righteousness but are thankful for His righteousness and presence in our lives. God lifts us up and we are thankful to Him for it and we praise Him and gladly give Him glory that otherwise we might try to steal for ourselves.
Dear LORD,
The ways of this world blind us from seeing the gift that You offer us in Christ Jesus; the gift of eternal life and righteousness that is a reward for putting You first in our lives. It is not a prideful thing, but a thankful thing and way of life that is set free from the ways of this world. We don’t like to be broken, but the weakness and lowly times of our lives is where we find ourselves in a position to realize that we need You – that we may then be open to Your will for our lives and be truly humble, obedient, and thankful for Your working in our lives. No flesh should glory in Your presence, but that our glory would be found in Christ Jesus, and our lives reflective of Him. In Jesus name I pray, amen.